Pay It Forward.
A series of thought papers on payment infrastructure, regulation, and the moves we think founders, regulators and institutions should make in emerging markets.
Banks. Building them. Consolidating them. Innovating on them. When I started speaking to people in this industry, I quickly realised that one big issue is verbalising the complexity of financial innovation, and how much of it sits inside regulation rather than inside technology.
Everyone understands that Africa is a highly unbanked continent, and there's a consensus that the reason is a lack of capability and resources.
Some people think it's an opportunity to leapfrog; most entrepreneurs use this narrative as their marketing strategy. But fundamentally, my opinion is that African rails aren't late, they aren't resource-poor, and they don't lack technological understanding or capacity. Instead, I think the problem is one of people caring enough to understand WHAT is blocking, what WON'T change, and what CAN change. From where I stand, there's a trilemma: (1) orchestrating information about what's happening, (2) connecting the right people, (3) caring. My hypothesis is simple, knowing the limitations and working around them may help the industry grow much faster than trying to change them.
We have examples that prove it's possible. I've started these Pay It Forward "thought" papers as a means to provide some explanations, and some opinions.
The reforms we advocate for.
Reports on the markets we operate in.
Field reports and data on payment infrastructure across African and emerging markets: the structural shifts, the deals, and what they mean for anyone building or buying in.
