Byoot Buy now, pay later

The Mastercard Foundation is helping expand access to finance across Africa by deploying credit capital through partnerships with financial institutions, governments, and development organizations. This article explores how the Foundation’s financing approach supports small businesses, young entrepreneurs, and underserved communities while strengthening local lending ecosystems across multiple markets.

Artificial intelligence is changing how lenders assess credit risk by analyzing large volumes of data faster and more accurately than traditional scoring models. But while AI can improve decision-making, it is not without limitations. This article explores how AI credit scoring works, the data it relies on, where it delivers the most value, and the challenges lenders must address to ensure fair, transparent, and reliable lending decisions.

Kenya’s licensing of 42 new digital lenders signals a major shift in how credit markets across Africa are evolving. By bringing more players into a regulated framework, the move aims to improve transparency, protect borrowers, and expand access to formal credit. But it also raises important questions about competition, risk management, and market saturation. For lenders across the continent, this development offers both a blueprint for regulation and a reminder that sustainable growth depends not just on scale, but on trust, compliance, and responsible lending practices.