Advertise on podcast: Inclusive Finance Frontiers

By 2050, one in five people worldwide will be over 60, and most of them will live in low- and middle-income countries. Yet conventional pension schemes, built around formal employment, leave out the millions who live on unpredictable incomes. Women, in particular, are overrepresented in informal work and therefore most exposed to old-age poverty. In this episode, we explore why conventional pension schemes leave so many behind, what contributory models for informal workers look like in practice, and what it will take to scale them. We also ask what structural, financial, and cultural barriers must be addressed for these schemes to deliver genuine security in old age.   Guests: Fiona Stewart, the Global Lead on Aging and Pension in the Social Protection Global Practice at the World Bank Group Gaspard Bayigane, Head, Long-Term Savings Scheme at Ejo Heza, Rwanda Social Security Board With a contribution from Protais Tuyisenge, Ejo Heza pensioner Producer: Lamis Daoud, CGAP External Affairs Officer Audio Editor and Sound Producer: Samantha Malhotra, World Bank Group Interactive Media Program Executive Producer: Jahda Swanborough, CGAP Communications Lead © CGAP/World Bank, 2026

As El Niño-driven droughts and intensifying hurricaneseasons push millions into crisis, one question is reshaping disaster finance:what if communities built financial resilience before the storm hits? Thisepisode explores two pioneering models — from Barbados and the Horn of Africa —proving that preparation can mean the difference between a shock and a crisis.   We examine how Barbados has built a layered nationaldisaster financing strategy and why digital payment infrastructure is just ascritical as the funds themselves. In the Horn of Africa, the DRIVE Project(De-risking, Inclusion and Value Enhancement of Pastoral Economies in the Hornof Africa) uses parametric insurance to protect pastoralists from drought, andhow intentional product design has ensured that 55% of its beneficiaries are women. Guests: Dr., The Most Honorable Kevin Greenidge,Governor, Central Bank of BarbadosHope Murera, Managing Director and Group CEO, ZEP-RE  With a contribution from Charity Mueni, CommunityMobilizer, DRIVE Project, Kenya   Producer: Lamis Daoud, CGAP External Affairs Officer Audio Editor and Sound Producer: Samantha Malhotra,World Bank Group Interactive Media Program  Executive Producer: Jahda Swanborough, CGAPCommunications Lead  © CGAP/World Bank, 2026

🎙 Our podcast, Inclusive Finance Frontiers, is back.Agentic AI, stablecoins, inclusive insurance, and pensions for informal workers are reshaping finance for vulnerable communities, but what questions do they raise?In a new limited series, we're digging into how emerging technologies and innovative approaches can help people navigate risk, build resilience, and access opportunity—if used responsibly. We'll hear from regulators, fintech innovators, investors, and global experts. But most importantly, from the people on the receiving end of these services. Tune in every two weeks for a new episode. Follow Inclusive Finance Frontiers on your favorite platform to keep up with the latest conversations. Dr., The Most Honorable Kevin Greenidge, Governor, Central Bank of BarbadosEzechiel Copic, Director, Digital Currency Policy, VisaFiona Stewart, Global Lead on Aging and Pension in the Social Protection Global Practice, World Bank GroupGabriela Eguidazu, Vice President Digital transformation and innovation, FMBBVAGaspard Bayigane, Head of Long-Term Savings Scheme – Ejo Heza, Rwanda Social Security BoardHope Murera, Managing Director & Group CEO of ZEP-REIota Kaousar Nassr, Senior Analyst, OECDMercina Tilleman Perez, Vice President Circle Impact, CircleMonica Brand Engel, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of QuonaNandini Harihareswara, Director, Fair Digital Finance, Consumers Internationalwww.cgap.org/news-and-stories/podcast

Three years ago, conflict erupted in Sudan, and its toll continues to be devastating. The crisis has caused profound human suffering and dismantled the systems households once relied on to absorb shocks. The financial sector has been hit hard: liquidity has dried up, infrastructure destroyed, and social protection mechanisms unraveled.  Humanitarian actors have scaled up cash assistance, but face serious obstacles: limited liquidity, fragmented financial service providers, and complex payment processes. This has resulted in accumulated delays of up to 200 days in delivering cash transfers in the midst of a severe humanitarian crisis.  In this episode, we explore an emerging solution: the Shared Distribution Network (SEND), designed by CGAP and the Cash Consortium of Sudan to cut delays and improve cost-effectiveness.   Featured Voices:    Rayan Nimir, Policy and Advocacy Advisor, Collective Sudan (formerly, Cash Consortium of Sudan)  William Cook, Senior Financial Sector Specialist, CGAP     Hiba Al-Madani, a cash recipient and small business owner in Sudan    Producer: Lamis Daoud, CGAP External Affairs Officer   Audio Editor and Sound Producer: Samantha Malhotra, World Bank Group Interactive Media Program    Executive Producer: Jahda Swanborough, CGAP Communications Lead    © CGAP/World Bank, 2026    Special thanks to Sara Murray from CGAP for her expertise and insights that brought this episode to life, the Cash Collective for conducting the interview with Hiba Al-Madani, and Samah Salman for dubbing Hiba’s contribution.   Listen and subscribe for free on your favorite platform. To learn more, visit www.cgap.org. If you have any feedback, connect with us at [email protected].

As climate instability intensifies, frontline communities need better tools to adapt and recover. Yet, when extreme weather strikes, the institutions best positioned to help—microfinance institutions (MFIs)—have historically pulled back, reducing lending during crises, just when clients need capital the most. Today, a new wave of innovations is changing that equation, in ways that still make financial sense for lenders.  This episode explores two approaches that are flipping the script on how inclusive finance institutions respond to climate shocks:   Recovery lending: Post-disaster loans that help households and small businesses rebuild quicklyContingent lines of credit: Pre-arranged financing that can be activated when a specific, objective trigger is met We dive into real-world examples from Malawi and Colombia, where these approaches are helping MFIs stay engaged during crises and unlock faster recovery for climate-affected communities.  Featured Voices:   Karen Lewin, Financial Services Head, VisionFund International  Juan Camilo Flórez Falla, Head of Digital Banking, Bancamía   Grecium Kachingwe, a fish vendor from Phalombe, Malawi  Producer: Lamis Daoud, CGAP External Affairs Officer  Audio Editor and Sound Producer: Samantha Malhotra, World Bank Group Interactive Media Program   Executive Producer: Jahda Swanborough, CGAP Communications Lead   © CGAP/World Bank, 2026   Special thanks to Peter Zetterli and Michel Hanouch from CGAP for helping shape this episode.  Listen and subscribe for free on your favorite platform. To learn more, visit www.cgap.org. If you have any feedback, connect with us at [email protected].

Women's financial inclusion is advancing, but gaps remain. The World Bank's Global Findex 2025 reveals that 77% of women globally now hold a financial account, yet in some low- and middle-income countries, women are still up to 30 percentage points less likely to own one than men. So, what's driving this persistent divide, and how do we close it?   In our last episode, we looked at some of the barriers nano women entrepreneurs face and potential solutions. Thie time, we turn to the power of data. Gender-disaggregated data gives regulators and financial service providers the insight needed to design products and policies that truly serve women. In this episode, we explore how Rwanda is leading the way using smarter data collection to build a more inclusive and equitable financial system for women.  Featured Voices  Dr. Moise Bigirimana, Director of Financial Sector Development and Inclusion, National Bank of Rwanda  Michelle Gacinya, Strategy Lead W-MSME, Bank of Kigali    Sabrina Mutangana, Skincare business owner, Rwanda  Producer: Lamis Daoud, CGAP External Affairs Officer    Audio Editor and Sound Producer: Samantha Malhotra, World Bank Group Interactive Media Program  Executive Producer: Jahda Swanborough, CGAP Communications Lead  © CGAP/World Bank, 2026  Special thanks to Valdete Berisha for conducting the interviews with this episode's guests on behalf of the produce.   Listen and subscribe for free on your favorite platform. To learn more, visit www.cgap.org. If you have any feedback, connect with us at [email protected].

Uganda’s 1.1 million nano and micro enterprises are the economy’s backbone, driving jobs and economic growth. Women lead 55% of them, sustaining households, strengthening communities, and powering local markets. Yet CGAP’s latest research shows too many remain “nano by necessity,” held back by scarce collateral and gaps in digital and financial literacy that limit scale and resilience. What will it take to change that?   We speak with GnuGrid—Uganda’s first and only indigenous credit reference bureau—and the Ministry of Finance. How can policymakers, financial service providers, and development partners design tailored interventions that meet women where they are? And how can an ecosystem-wide response unlock the full economic potential of Uganda’s women entrepreneurs? Featured Voices  Sandra Nakabiri, Senior Economist at Uganda’s Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development   Dr. Sumayyah SengendoN.S Mutagubya, Managing Director of GnuGrid   Gladys Kwalisima, corn vendor in Uganda    Producer: Lamis Daoud, CGAP External Affairs Officer   Audio Editor and Sound Producer: Samantha Malhotra, World Bank Group Interactive Media Program Executive Producer: Jahda Swanborough, CGAP Communications Lead © CGAP/World Bank, 2026 Listen and subscribe for free on your favorite platform. To learn more, visit ⁠www.cgap.org⁠. If you have any feedback, connect with us at ⁠[email protected]⁠.

Financial inclusion is rising—but are we converting access into impact?   Global Findex 2025 reports 75% of adults in low- and middle-income countries now have an account (79% globally), powered by the wave of digital as mobile phones and the internet transform access and usage. Yet 1.3 billion adults remain unbanked, 300 million accounts sit idle, and large gender gaps persist across regions. Credit, insurance, and pensions lag, and nearly half of adults in emerging markets still struggle to raise emergency funds.   Join top voices in the financial inclusion space to unpack the latest Findex findings and map the path forward toward development outcomes.  Featured Voices Leora Klapper, Lead Economist at the World Bank and founder of the Global Findex databaseMichael Schlein, President and CEO of AccionSophie Sirtaine, World Bank Group Director, for the Financial Services Sector and CEO of CGAPLong Nath, salon owner in Cambodia Producer: Lamis Daoud, CGAP External Affairs Officer   Audio Editor and Sound Producer: Samantha Malhotra, World Bank Group Interactive Media Program Executive Producer: Jahda Swanborough, CGAP Communications Lead © CGAP/World Bank, 2026 Listen and subscribe for free on your favorite platform. To learn more, visit www.cgap.org. If you have any feedback, connect with us at [email protected].

In a world shaped by climate shocks, conflict, fragility, and rapid change, financial services are more important than ever for meeting the needs of low-income communities. Globally, 1.3 billion people still don’t have a bank account, let alone access to the tools many of us take for granted. And for many more who do have access, financial products and systems don’t yet meet their real needs.  Inclusive Finance Frontiers returns with a new season exploring how people-centered financial services can help vulnerable communities navigate uncertainty, build resilience, and improve their lives.  From Rwanda and Colombia to Sudan and beyond, this season brings you stories from the front lines—featuring global experts, regulators, banks, fintech innovators, humanitarian actors, and, most importantly, the people living with risk every day.  Producer: Lamis Daoud, CGAP External Affairs Officer   Audio Editor and Sound Producer: Samantha Malhotra, World Bank Group Interactive Media Program Executive Producer: Jahda Swanborough, CGAP Communications Lead © CGAP/World Bank, 2026   Listen and subscribe for free on your favorite platform. To learn more, visit www.cgap.org. If you have any feedback, connect with us at [email protected].

The world faces a variety of ‘global risks’, ranging fromgeopolitical conflicts and climate change to cyber threats. These are growingever more complex and affect all of us. However, people and small enterprises in low-income countries face disproportionate challenges. If left unaddressed, this can create ripple effects regionally and globally. Government-led strategies remain vital, but the intensifying risks underscore the urgent need for approaches that put solutions directly into the hands of communities most vulnerable to risks and can complement government-led strategies.   In June 2025, CGAP convened nearly 200 global decisionmakers in Amsterdam involved in global resilience responses for a Symposium titled, “RethinkingResilience: Why Inclusive Finance Can’t Wait”. Inthis bonus episode of Inclusive Finance Frontiers, hear from participants interviewed on the sidelines of the Symposium on how inclusive finance tools—such as savings, credit, insurance, and digital payments—can strengthenresilience for those most at risk and drive sustainable development.   Featured voices:  Michel Liès, Chairman of Zurich Insurance Group and Insurance Development ForumStéphane Hallegatte, Chief Climate Economist at the World BankStuart Rutherford, Director of Hrishipara Daily Diaries ProjectSophie Sirtaine, CGAP CEO

In 2019, Lebanon witnessed the start of one of the most severe socio-economic crises globally since the mid-nineteenth century, plunging many Lebanese into poverty.   Amid the hardships, a new hope emerged in 2021. The World Bank set up a $246 million social safety net project and the Government of Lebanon (GoL) designed a registration platform for this program, with the help of Siren Associates, called DAEM (Arabic for "support"). Built in record time, DAEM is more than just a registry; it’s a fully localized social protection system that provides a lifeline to Lebanese families hit by crisis. In this episode, we hear from the GoL, CGAP, the World Bank, and Siren Associates about how collaboration was key to DAEM’s success and how, even in the most challenging conditions, it’s possible to design solutions that go beyond emergency relief and sow the seeds for a more inclusive financial system.   This is Season 2, Episode 6 of CGAP's podcast, Inclusive Finance Frontiers.  Ahmed Fatih Ortakaya, Senior Social Protection Specialist, World BankCarole Alsharabati, Research Director, SIREN AssociatesMarie Louise Abou Jaoudeh, Presidency of the Council of Ministers (PCM) of the Government of LebanonNadine Chehade, Senior Financial Sector Specialist, World Bank Souraya Sbeih, Consultant, CGAP  Listen and subscribe for free on your favorite platform. To learn more, visitwww.cgap.org. To share feedback, connect with us [email protected].    This episode incorporates a news report from PBS NewsHour, Financial crisis leads some in Lebanon to rob banks to access their money.

The climate crisis demands urgent global action. Green technologies—like solar panels and clean cookstoves—have the potential to transform lives and protect the planet but remain out of reach for many in developing economies. Can carbon markets make them more accessible?  Voluntary carbon markets (VCMs), where companies purchase carbon credits to offset greenhouse gas emissions, are rapidly gaining traction. These markets hold immense potential to enable the adoption of green technologies among low-income households on the frontlines of climate change and improve their lives.   In this episode, we take a deep dive into VCMs to hear from ATEC about their pay-as-you-go electric cookstoves, which aim to decarbonize cooking through verifiable tech, how Gold Standard issues carbon certifications, and why CGAP sees a promising role for financial services in supporting more inclusive carbon markets.    Featured Voices:  Ben Jeffreys, CEO, ATEC  Vikash Talyan, Senior Director of Standard Development and Innovation, Gold Standard  Max Mattern, Senior Financial Sector Specialist, CGAP    Listen and subscribe for free on your favorite platform. To learn more, visit www.cgap.org. To share feedback, connect with us at [email protected].

Artificial intelligence (AI) is already transforming almost every aspect of the financial services industry. It is driving efficiencies and sparking innovation by reshaping the way financial authorities protect consumers—not just how financial service providers operate. But financial authorities need to walk a tightrope. While they need to harness the power of AI to improve consumer protection, they must also address the novel risks and challenges that AI brings, such as new forms of financial fraud, cyber threats, and data privacy concerns.  This episode explores how the Central Bank of the Philippines is embracing AI-powered "SupTech” (supervisory technology) for its chatbot named BOB to enhance financial consumer protection. We'll hear from experts at the Central Bank of the Philippines, the Cambridge SupTech Lab, and CGAP about the potential benefits and risks of this revolutionary technology.  Featured Voices:  Charina B. De Vera-Yap, Director of the Consumer Protection and Market Conduct Office (CPMCO), Regional Operations and Advocacy Sector, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)    Matt Grasser, Co-Head and Tech Lead, Cambridge SupTech Lab and Principal Technologist at Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF)  Juan Carlos Izaguirre, Senior Financial Sector Specialist, CGAP  Eric Duflos, Senior Financial Sector Specialist and Consumer Protection Lead, CGAP      Listen and subscribe for free on your favorite platform. To learn more, visit www.cgap.org. To share feedback, connect with us at [email protected].

In Brazil, the banking world is changing fast. Open Finance allows people in Brazil to securely share their financial data across financial service providers, sparking competition and innovation among providers. This empowers customers to compare and choose services that best meet their needs. But how does open finance work in practice and what does it mean for the millions of people still excluded or underserved by formal finance?  In this episode, we talk to experts at the Central Bank of Brazil, Nubank, and CGAP about Brazil’s experience in rolling out open finance and how data can help unlock credit for informal workers, improve product offerings, and reach wider segments of society. Along the way, we tackle critical questions: Can open finance help reduce inequality? And what lessons can other countries learn from Brazil’s rapid adoption?    Featured Voices:  Matheus Rauber, Senior Advisor, Financial System Regulation Department, Central Bank of Brazil  Rafael Wowk, Head of Regulatory Affairs, NuBank  Maria Fernandez Vidal, Senior Financial Sector Specialist, CGAP  Listen and subscribe for free on your favorite platform. To learn more, visit www.cgap.org. To share feedback, connect with us at [email protected].

From a duka in Kenya, a tienda de barrio in Colombia or a kirana in India, micro-retailers that stock fast-moving consumer goods go by many different names around the world. No matter what they’re called, they’re universally cherished. And yet, they face numerous unique challenges.   B2B e-commerce startups like Wasoko in Kenya and &frnds in Southeast Asia are promising to make a difference for micro-retailers by digitizing order processes and extending buy-now-pay-later credit options. Yet challenges remain: How do we bridge the digital divide? And can these systems sustainably scale?  In this episode, a Behavioral Science thought leader joins experts from Flourish Ventures and CGAP to explore the promise—and the hype—behind this digitization wave, unpacking its potential to create meaningful financial inclusion for micro retailers at the last mile.  Featured Voices:  Richard Wright, former Behavioral Science Director at Unilever and currently an independent consultant  Stella Klemperer, Director of Strategy and Insights, Flourish Ventures  Alexander Sotiriou, Senior Financial Sector Specialist, CGAP  Listen and subscribe for free on your favorite platform. To learn more, visit www.cgap.org. To share feedback, connect with us at [email protected].    Special thanks to Salome W. Kimani for conducting the interview with the micro-retailer Mugi and for the voiceover.