Financial Inclusion In the Age of COVID-19

Financial inclusion, which microfinance has demonstrated can be achieved sustainably and at scale, has broadened from a movement led by specialized NGOs to a diverse landscape of players, from social enterprises and banks to fintech providers. Expanding financial access is an important contributor to advancing a number of U.N. SDGs and ensuring greater inclusive economic growth. Hundreds of millions of individuals and small businesses are gaining access to a range of financial services, from savings and credit to payments, accelerated through digital and mobile technologies.

The Financial Inclusion movement, institutions and clients are now being challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic. In many countries, livelihoods and operations have been significantly disrupted. Government lockdowns and self-quarantining, anticipated negative GDP trends, and rising unemployment is beginning to take a toll, while the extent of the pandemic from a public health perspective has yet to be experienced. This will in turn have an impact on the financial providers involved in the scheme and the clients they serve, who are primarily low income and self-employed people.

SOAS Alumnus Bob Annibale (BA African History, MA African Studies), Managing Director at Citi, will discuss the financial inclusion movement and current challenges with the COVID-19 pandemic, with SOAS Professor, Christine Oughton. The talk will last for 30 minutes and there will be time for questions at the end. You can email your questions or ask them during the live conversation. Send advance questions to alumni@soas.ac.uk