MERCANERA
Layer 3 · Transformation

Financial Inclusion

Large groups of people and small businesses still sit outside the formal financial system.

We help banks, telecom operators, fintechs, regulators and development partners design inclusion strategies and programmes that reach them with useful, affordable and sustainable financial services.

The challenge

Why inclusion programmes fall short

Advisory for financial inclusion: strategies and programmes that bring unbanked and underserved people and small businesses into the formal financial system through wallets, agents, simple accounts, alternative-data credit and digitised savings groups.

01

Products are designed for banked customers and do not fit irregular incomes or small balances.

02

Access points such as branches and agents are too far away or too costly to run.

03

Accounts are opened but rarely used, so neither customers nor providers see the value.

Financial Inclusion

How we help

We help banks, telecom operators, fintechs, regulators and development partners design inclusion strategies and programmes that reach them with useful, affordable and sustainable financial services.

01

Inclusion strategy

Target segments, priorities and the business case for serving underserved customers profitably.

02

Products for the underserved

Simple accounts, wallets, savings, micro-credit and micro-insurance designed around real needs.

03

Channels and agent networks

Agent, mobile and partner channels that bring services close to customers.

04

Alternative-data credit

Credit scoring with mobile, payment and transaction data for people without credit histories.

05

Savings group digitisation

Digitising village savings and loan associations and linking members to formal services.

06

Impact measurement

KPIs and frameworks to track usage, outcomes and commercial sustainability.

What you receive

Deliverables are tailored to the scope of each engagement.

  • Inclusion strategy and business case
  • Segment and needs analysis
  • Product and channel design
  • Programme blueprint and partner model
  • KPI and impact framework

Our approach

Every engagement follows a clear path, scoped to what the client needs. Some clients bring us in for a single phase; others ask us to stay through launch.

  1. 01Diagnose
  2. 02Design
  3. 03Mobilise
  4. 04Launch & scale
Our approach
Financial Inclusion

Frequently asked questions

What is financial inclusion?

It means giving individuals and small businesses access to useful, affordable financial services such as payments, savings, credit and insurance, delivered responsibly and sustainably.

How does alternative-data credit scoring work?

It uses data such as mobile wallet activity, bill payments and transaction histories to assess people who have no formal credit record.

What are VSLAs, and why digitise them?

Village savings and loan associations are community groups that save and lend together. Digitising their records and payments improves safety and transparency, and can link members to formal financial services.

How can financial inclusion be commercially sustainable?

By keeping costs low through digital channels and agents, building products customers use often, and growing revenue from a wider relationship that includes payments, savings, credit and insurance.

Let's talk about your project

Tell us what you are working on and we will come back with a view on how we can help.

[email protected]

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