FSDT’s work aims to develop market systems that benefit underserved individuals, households and enterprises, offering them capacities and opportunities to improve their lives.

This involves addressing challenges and supporting innovations and market interventions in the financial sector through partnerships with financial sector stakeholders. Among the constraints to achieving financial inclusion in Tanzania are gaps in the legal, policy and regulatory framework, information asymmetry between customers and Financial Service Providers (FSPs), low financial capability of customers and FSPs, lack of appropriate market infrastructure and unmet demand for financial services and relevant financial products.

We work as a thought leader in financial inclusion

FSDT uses a broad range of financial instruments – including loans, guarantees and grants to spur innovation among FSPs and the development of the financial ecosystem. Leveraging on its position as a thought leader in financial inclusion, FSDT pushes for facilitation in the market – achieved through a combination of convening, advocacy, and engagement support delivered to FSPs, industry associations, regulators, policymakers and donors operating in the market. And by sponsoring research and its dissemination in the market. Evidence generation is a cornerstone of the work of FSDT that allows us to diagnose the status of financial inclusion in the country as an input into the design of appropriate activities.

Agricultural & Rural Finance

FSDT seeks to facilitate “more and better financial services” to where a vast majority of Tanzanians are employed and located. This includes diagnosis of the barriers to agriculture and rural finance transactions and working with a broad range of partners to implement interventions that address the constraints and unlock access, usage, quality, and welfare of financial services.

SME Finance

In Tanzania, MSMEs contribute to 27% of the GDP, employing more than 5.2 million people. However, majority of MSMEs experience limited access to finance and effective use of financial products and services as major barriers to growth. The lack of access to finance by MSMEs attributes to Financial Services Providers’ strict requirements around KYC and formal registration, collateral, credit history and lack of MSME tailored products. SME Finance works with financial sector stakeholders to drive innovative solutions that will increase access and usage of financial products and services by underserved MSMEs.  Our work focuses on Innovation and Solutions, Knowledge Exchange and Data, Thought Leadership and Convening, Policy and Regulatory change.

Digital Finance

FSDT defines Digital finance as access to electronic/digital financial services through non-traditional banking infrastructure (branches and ATMs). This entails the use of alternative delivery channels that are largely driven by mobile technology through mobile money and agency banking models.

Insurance