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THESTRATEGICFINTECHFRAMEWORK Theconceptofthe StrategicFintech frameworkisoneofmanagedinnovation.Itisabusinessschoolledapproachto managingchange.Itcombinestheecosystem,unitingchallengersandincumbents,governmentanduniversities.The alignmentofinterestsisdoneattheplatformle v el,allowingforcompetitionbutonale v elpla yground.Itbenefits fromindustryinsightandanunderstandingofemergingtrendsandconsumerbehavior .Atitscoreisatechnologyand competencefocus.Itisawa yofapproaching,addressingandactioninginno vativ echange. Havingastrategyfocuson Fintech innovation,beitacorporateornationallevel,isacommitmenttoasetof coherent,mutuallyreinforcingpracticesaimedatdeliveringadigital financialservice.Thisconeptiscapturedby Gomberetal(2018).Theideabehind StrategicFintech istopromotealignmentwithinanorganization,clarifyobjectives andpriorities,andhelpfocuscorpor atebeha viorandproductinno vation.Theo v er allstr ategyiscustomerfocused,but supportedb yboththebackandfrontoffice. Thecoretechnologiesbehind StrategicFintech arecentraltounderstandinghowcollaborationbenefitsthemajority ofparticipants.T akeforexampletheroleofArtificialIntelligencein Fintech,theabilityofadigitalcomputertoperform financialtasks.Thisresultsinblackbo xoutcomesunlessproperthoughtando v ersightgoesintothede v elopmentofits coreassumptions.Thisisa v oidedb yaholisticviewoftherisksandanunderstandingofthemo vingparts.

Fintech services, with 84% affirming their awareness of Fintech (compared to 62% in 2015). Nigeria has witnessed an increase in Fintech innovation and utilization.

The application of technological innovations to the finance industry (Fintech) has been attracting tens of billions of dollars in venture capital in recent years. Examples of Fintech innovations include digital cash transfer services in Kenya and India, and peer-to-peer lending platforms in China. These services, when developed in tandem with complementary government policies and regulatory frameworks, have the potential to expand financial services to hundreds of millions of people currently lacking access and to break new ground on the way finance is conducted. This is important because sustainable economic growth is strongly linked with financial inclusion. The successful adoption of Fintech to increase financial inclusion is highly dependent on competent regulatory oversight. By examining varying degrees of success in the adoption of Fintech services in Kenya, India and China this paper argues that adopting a responsive regulatory approach, rather than an overly interventionist one, is the most suitable framework for boosting financial inclusion through technological innovation.

According to Ezinne Obikile, SystemSpecs Executive Director, Infrastructure and Payments Gateway; “SystemSpecs is committed to driving financial inclusion and providing payment convenience to all, which underscores this strategic partnership with Paga to extend a wide range of financial solutions and services to customers everywhere, even at a time as this.”

Also commenting, Jay Alabraba, Co-founder and Director of Business Development, Paga said: “In our commitment to make payments easier for all Nigerians and businesses, we are pleased to collaborate with SystemSpecs. Our goal is to always provide an improved experience to our customers everywhere, by leveraging digital technology. This collaboration would further help us meet the needs of individuals who seek to make various bill payments, including those in emerging markets.”

As a result of their potent blend of trail-blazing technology and disruptive innovation, FinTech players have the ability to accelerate the digital transformation of financial services in Africa and, in turn, further spur the major existing banks to rapidly ramp-up their own innovative approaches to meet the financial needs of under-served markets across the continent. FinTech players are increasingly becoming an important part of the fabric of Africa’s financial services industry. In addition, the leading banks on the continent are now harnessing innovative technology to meet market needs and are also collaborating with FinTech start-ups to better connect with under-served consumers, improve financial inclusion and provide a platform to scale much faster.

Driven by the belief that everyone deserves the benefits of a modern connected life, MTN is ramping up its efforts to enhance access to digital and financial services for its customers.

The company’s latest Fintech innovation is a mobile remittance application, MTN Homeland, aimed at facilitating money and airtime transfers from Europe to Africa and parts of the Middle East.

Financial planning is the backbone for every type of business to operate efficiently with achieve targeted objective. A single mistake in the financial records or planning can drag the growth of an organization to zero. As a solution, Robo-Advisors serve a digital platform with automated functions backed up with algorithm-driven financial planning services. This digital platform allow to automate the procedure with least or can be said no human supervision. A question might be nudging your mind, “How a digital platform can be able to plan financial operations?” It is a worth question that must be answered before using such a high tech platform.

Created in 2015 in Cape Town by Andrew Watkins-Ball, the company, which specializes in savings, loans and insurance for people and small businesses far from the traditional banking system, has raised $55 million (50 million euro) in debt and venture capital from the American bank.

Created in 2015 in Cape Town by Andrew Watkins-Ball, the company, which specializes in savings, loans and insurance for people and small businesses far from the traditional banking system, has raised $55 million (50 million euro) in debt and venture capital from the American bank.

The company has raised nearly $146 million since its creation from renowned players such as Google, which integrated Jumo into its accelerator in May 2017, the Mastercard foundation, development institutions such as Finnfund and Proparco (the private branch of the French Development Agency).

A free app available for any smartphone, SnapScan works almost like a pocket ATM linked to the user’s debit or credit card account. Instead of handing over a card, customers scan a unique SnapScan logo posted at the cash register with their camera-enabled phone. They enter the amount, type in a pin code (or use touch ID) and a few seconds later the vendor’s phone chimes with a confirmation sent by SMS. It’s quick, painless, and entirely safe, says Ehlers. SnapScan is backed by Standard Bank, one of South Africa’s biggest banks, and uses cutting-edge fraud protection technology. More to the point, he notes, it means that vendors never have access to actual credit card details. “That means no one is noting down your number so he can go shopping later,” says Ehlers.

It’s been so long since 30-year-old Cape Town entrepreneur Kobus Ehlers last used his wallet that he’s not even sure where it is. “My car maybe?” he says as he reflexively scans the cheerfully decorated offices of his startup, SnapScan. When it’s pointed out that leaving a wallet in a car in a city infamous for break-ins and carjackings may not be a good idea, he shrugs. He probably doesn’t even have the equivalent of five dollars in it, he says. “I never use cash. Credit cards are over. There are much better ways to pay for things.”As the co-founder of one of South Africa’s most successful electronic payments apps, Ehlers is of course expected to use his own product. But the real reason he isn’t worried about his wallet is because Cape Town is a city seduced by the idea of cashless and cardless transactions, in no small part because of his company’s success. “You can literally wake up in the morning, buy a cup of coffee, go to your dentist, have lunch, pay your bills, take a taxi, go out for dinner, and donate to your favorite cause without using cash or a card,” says Ehlers. “And in none of that is there any risk of your card details getting stolen, or you getting mugged for your cash.”

It’s been so long since 30-year-old Cape Town entrepreneur Kobus Ehlers last used his wallet that he’s not even sure where it is. “My car maybe?” he says as he reflexively scans the cheerfully decorated offices of his startup, SnapScan. When it’s pointed out that leaving a wallet in a car in a city infamous for break-ins and carjackings may not be a good idea, he shrugs. He probably doesn’t even have the equivalent of five dollars in it, he says. “I never use cash. Credit cards are over. There are much better ways to pay for things.”As the co-founder of one of South Africa’s most successful electronic payments apps, Ehlers is of course expected to use his own product. But the real reason he isn’t worried about his wallet is because Cape Town is a city seduced by the idea of cashless and cardless transactions, in no small part because of his company’s success. “You can literally wake up in the morning, buy a cup of coffee, go to your dentist, have lunch, pay your bills, take a taxi, go out for dinner, and donate to your favorite cause without using cash or a card,” says Ehlers. “And in none of that is there any risk of your card details getting stolen, or you getting mugged for your cash.”

New technologies, like machine learning/artificial intelligence, predictive behavioral analytics, and data-driven marketing, will take the guesswork and habit out of financial decisions. "Learning" apps will not only learn the habits of users, often hidden to themselves, but will engage users in learning games to make their automatic, unconscious spending and saving decisions better. Fintech is also a keen adaptor of automated customer service technology, utilizing chatbots to and AI interfaces to assist customers with basic task and also keep down staffing costs. Fintech is also being leveraged to fight fraud by leveraging information about payment history to flag transactions that are outside the norm.

There is a saying among corporate bankers “You only get credit if you don’t need it”. Translated into business terms: there were underserved customers, ignored by traditional financial industry, who couldn’t apply for a loan or credit. And that helped a lot of fintech startups, the likes of Finiata (Netguru is proud to be a partner here) or Lenddo, to put their foot in the door.

The early-stage fintechs in the Inclusive Fintech 50 sample are increasing their use of digital acquisition channels, such as Facebook, to market their products. Qualitative findings point to an increased use of targeted social media campaigns, webinars, and other online marketing strategies such as email campaigns or WhatsApp chat room for clients — indicating that these channels are cheaper than TV and print media and likely more effective.

Cassava is a specialised Pan-African Fintech company that delivers innovative digital transaction solutions across the mobile ecosystem. They endeavor to operate wherever money changes hands, with an ambition to drive financial inclusion, digital payments and lead the adoption of e-Commerce in Africa. Cassava is constantly looking for ways tointroduce solutions that bring developmental impact to a diverse range of African communities, thereby improving their quality of life. These solutions are delivered through our strategic partners such as mobile operators, whom we support in attaining their immediate and long-term strategic goals.

Financial inclusion, from my personal perspective, is the creation of value added services for the disadvantaged in the society. From the concept of Barefoot Banking to digital innovations, financial inclusion bridges the inequality financial gap that exists between the rural and the urban settings. My personal mission is to make it possible for the smallholder farmer who lives in the most remote parts of Ghana receive payment for his goods and services through a digital solution.

The Fintech space in Ghana is gradually picking up steam with active participation from the public and private sectors. Government regulations on e-money and mobile money technologies are favourable and aiding adoption and rolling out of new technologies every day targeted at the unbanked population. Out of the 6 major telecommunication companies operating in Ghana, 4 are mobile money enabled, facilitating financial transactions between businesses and consumers. Banks also have rolled out services that target financial inclusions. These positive tides are helping shape the Fintech landscape in Ghana.

FinTech Innovation Challenge “Making Finance Work for Women 2019” Award! Pula is an agriculture insurance provider for smallholder farmers in African emerging markets lead by CEO and cofounder Rose Goslinga. They are radically restructuring agricultural insurance, using technology to insure the previously unbanked, uninsured, untapped market of 1.5 billion smallholders worldwide.

FinTech companies such as PayPal, Visa, Square, Mastercard and others are expanding cryptocurrency (crypto) and blockchain capabilities but several factors could limit widespread acceptance in the near term, says Fitch Ratings. We expect strategic crypto investments to have a limited near-term effect on credit profiles, given modest capital deployed and the long ramp time. However, adding crypto capabilities opens up incremental revenue streams for these companies, even if the return on investment over time and compliance risks are uncertain.

Big DataIn addition to traditional financial data collection, new data sources such as mobile banking and the Internet of Things (IoT) provide an additional layer of data gathering. Combined with Artificial Intelligence, Big Data analytics utilize large amounts of old and new data to discover hidden patterns for better risk management and fraud detection. New insights from big data improve the understanding of customer behaviors and help banks to create better and more customized products and services.

AI helps banks to analyze their Big Data to improve existing solutions and make better decisions. A more recent AI trend is to use its cognitive abilities to go through a large amount of unstructured text and data to generate more insights and to learn natural language. A more intelligent AI chatbot or virtual assistant can take over repetitive “low-value” operations, such as performing small amount transactions, explaining financial products and providing basic financial advice to customers.