Catalyzing financial inclusion in Zambia through digital G2P payments

• Dec 28, 2023
• 1 min

Financial Sector Deepening Zambia (FSD Zambia) contracted MSC to conduct a digital readiness assessment (DRA) to assess the policies and regulations to promote digital G2P adoption. MSC developed recommendations to digitize G2P programs and catalyze financial inclusion.

Financial Sector Deepening Zambia (FSD Zambia) contracted MSC to conduct a digital readiness assessment (DRA) on behalf of the Smart Zambia Institute. The Smart Zambia Institute is also known as the Electronic Government (e-Gov). It is a division in the Office of the President that manages and promotes electronic government services and processes. It also facilitates access to e-Gov services to improve service delivery and enhance citizens’ access to government service, coordination of e-Gov, and information and communication technology-related matters in public bodies.

The DRA assessed policies and regulations to promote digital G2P adoption. The MSC team worked with key policy, regulatory, and legal bodies throughout the DRA to collect and analyze data from diverse stakeholders. We conducted the assessment across multiple phases, which included desk research, expert interviews, multi-stakeholder consultative workshops, reporting, and presentation.

The DRA involved a comprehensive G2P assessment of all benefit programs countrywide. It developed a set of recommendations to digitize G2P programs and catalyze financial inclusion in the country. The assessment led to the drafting of high-level operational guidelines. These guidelines focused on the design of a digital G2P and P2G mechanism for Zambia’s Farmer Input Support Program (FISP), FISP weather insurance, social security payments, and school fees.

The DRA report helped the government of Zambia prioritize solutions for digitized G2P payments and create a digital transformation roadmap for the solutions.

FSD Zambia commissioned the project.