Shega, an Ethiopian data and analytics firm, launched the Shega Insights digital finance portal today in collaboration with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
The portal provides the first consolidated source of data and insights on Ethiopia's digital financial services sector. It aims to boost financial inclusion by informing inclusive product design and strategies.
Shega Insights aggregates information from across the financial system, including from the government and regulators. Users can access dashboards, reports and case studies on topics like account ownership, transaction volumes and consumer lending.
Shega CEO Anteneh Tesfaye said the portal fills a critical gap. "We are delighted to collaborate with the Gates Foundation, which will help scale our efforts and significantly contribute to the growth of the digital financial sector," he said.
Titled "Advancing Knowledge for Financial Inclusion", the multi-year initiative likewise supports Ethiopia's goal of 70 percent adult financial access including digital payments by 2025.
"Previously there was no centralized resource for understanding Ethiopia's DFS landscape. Shega Insights changes that by bringing together fragmented data in one place," said Nathnael Tsegaw, Manager of Shega Insights.
Over three years, the Gates Foundation-backed initiative will expand the portal's capabilities and outreach. Content will target traditionally underserved groups to increase uptake of digital finance.
