Tag: Kenya

Statement on COVID-19 Measures

Posted on by Donald Kogai

AERC STATEMENT ON COVID-19 MEASURES

Dear Network Members,

My thoughts are with each of you as we navigate this difficult time together.

African Economic Research Consortium (AERC) has been monitoring the developments of COVID-19 globally, following guidance from both the Kenyan Government and the World Health Organization as the situation changes here in Kenya.

At this time, we are continuing our operations; however, we anticipate closing our offices as the situation warrants, enabling our staff to work from their homes.

The following external activities and events have been postponed.

  • University monitoring, all universities
  • INCLUDE/IDRC/ILO Conference, April, Benin
  • AERC/A4NH conference, June, Malawi
  • IEA meeting, June, Bali

The following events are under review. We will provide further guidance in April. Participants are requested to hold on travel plans until that guidance is communicated by AERC.

  • Mid-review Workshop for Framework Research under the “Climate Change and Economic Development in Africa” (CCEDA) project, 30 May, Kenya
  • Biannual Plenary and Research Workshop, 31 May to 4 June, Kenya
  • Final Review Workshop for Framework Research under the “Re-examining the Growth, Poverty, Inequality and Redistribution Relationships in Africa” (GPIR) project, 5 June, Kenya
  • Academic Advisory Board meetings, May, Location TBD
  • Joint Facility for Electives (JFE), June-August, Kenya
  • Shared Facility for Specialization and Electives (SFSE), August-November, South Africa

We will continue to update you on our operating status. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at communications@aercafrica.org.

Thank you for your patience and understanding. We wish you and your families much fortitude over the coming months.

Kind Regards,

Prof Njuguna Ndung’u
Executive Director

Digital Payments and the New Economy

Posted on by Donald Kogai

digital payments

and the new economy

African Economic Research Consortium’s Executive Director, Professor Njuguna Ndung’u, participated in a high-level regional workshop jointly organized by the Central Bank of Tunisia and the World Bank on “Digital Payments and the New Economy” on 23 April 2019 in Tunisia.

Professor Ndung’u shared his experiences while Central Bank Governor of Kenya. His tenure saw the rapid rise of Kenya in the financial inclusion space with global recognition stemming from the pioneering and transformative M-Pesa.

M-Pesa started in 2007 as an electronic money transfer product that enables users to store value on their mobile phones. It is based on a platform of electronic units of money that can be used for multiple purposes including transfers to other users, payments for goods and services, and conversion to and from cash.

M-Pesa and similar digital financial services are representative of the mobile banking revolution in Kenya: financial institutions have embraced M-Pesa as a platform to manage micro accounts, build customer deposits, and broaden their customer network. As a consequence, Kenya has emerged as a leader in financial inclusion in Sub-Saharan Africa.

For an insider’s view of the regulatory pathway that enabled Kenya’s digital financial services sector to thrive and develop, and draws some policy recommendations from the Kenyan case aimed at all policymakers that seek to catalyse and consolidate a mobile phone-based banking revolution in their respective jurisdictions, please download: M-Pesa, A Success Story of Digital Financial Inclusion 

Next steps for the digital revolution in Africa

Posted on by Donald Kogai

Prochaines étapes pour la révolution numérique en Afrique Croissance inclusive et création d’emplois

Par le professeur Njuguna Ndung’u

Directeur Exécutif du CREA

Publié par Africa Growth Initiative à Brookings

Ces dernières années, la numérisation est devenue un élément moteur de la fourniture accélérée de services financiers, à commencer par le système de paiements électroniques au détail, qui constitue le point d’entrée des services financiers et, partant, une inclusion financière accrue. Cela a eu un impact positif sur les ménages pauvres et à faible revenu, ainsi que sur les micro, petites et moyennes entreprises. L’économie informelle au Kenya en a également profité, et leurs transactions sont en cours de formalisation et rejoignent progressivement la complexité du système formel au moyen des paiements au détail, des épargnes virtuelles et des applications de micro-prêts virtuels. Compte tenu de cet impact croissant et dynamique, il existe un potentiel de lien étroit entre l’inclusion financière, l’augmentation du niveau d’activité économique et la réduction de la pauvreté dans les économies en développement, frontalières et émergentes. De nouvelles indications semblent montrer que la numérisation facilite la création d’emplois dans les principales activités du secteur financier touchées, ainsi que l’impact sur l’économie du fait de l’entrée en jeu des technologies financières.

African Economic Research Consortium
Get in touch

3rd Floor, Middle East Bank Towers Building, Jakaya Kikwete Road, Nairobi, Kenya
Phone: +254 722 205272
+254 20 2734150
Fax: +254 20 2734170

Go Social
Subscribe to our Newsletter

© 2026 All Rights Reserved