What AFI does

Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI) is an international policy institute founded in 2008 that operates a member-owned alliance of approximately 80 central banks and financial regulatory authorities from developing countries spanning approximately 80 countries across Africa, the Arab Region, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Pacific Islands, and South Asia. AFI's purpose is to advance financial inclusion policy and regulation for underserved and underbanked populations through peer learning, capacity building, and the development of practical policy frameworks. The organization is headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, hosted by Bank Negara Malaysia since the alliance's founding, and is governed by a Board of Directors and Membership Council with day-to-day operations led by CEO Dr. Alfred Hannig.

AFI's core offerings are organized around seven working groups (Digital Financial Services, Financial Inclusion Data and Impact, Inclusive Green Finance, SME Finance, Consumer Empowerment and Market Conduct, Financial Inclusion Strategy Peer Learning, and Global Standards Proportionality) and seven regional initiatives (AfPI, ECAPI, FILAC, PIRI, SARFII, ARFIPI, and the Arab Region Financial Inclusion Policy Initiative). Its technology stack centers on the AFI Data Portal, which provides access to 84 financial inclusion indicators across member countries, and the AFI Policy Dashboard for tracking policy commitments and regulatory changes. Supplemental digital offerings include the AFI Educate e-learning platform, the Certified Expert in Financial Inclusion Policy credential, and an extensive catalog of knowledge products covering gender-inclusive finance, MSME data collection, consumer empowerment, financial stability, inclusive green finance, and competition in digital financial services. Strategic initiatives include the Maya Declaration (with 172 cumulative financial inclusion data targets set between 2014 and 2025), the Denarau Action Plan on gender-inclusive finance, and the Sharm El Sheikh Accord on inclusive green finance.

AFI is a non-profit, donor-funded organization with no commercial revenue stream. Operating costs are underwritten by international development partners, with the Gates Foundation and the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) supporting major initiatives such as the Competition Enablers Knowledge Exchange (CKX). Financial information is not publicly disclosed. As a membership alliance rather than a commercial vendor, AFI distributes its services directly to member central banks and regulators through events (the annual Global Policy Forum, regional convenings, working group sessions), online platforms, and publications, with growth driven by network effects and peer referrals across the global regulatory community.

Name

AFI

Legal name

Alliance for Financial Inclusion

Website

https://afi-global.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI) is an international non-profit policy institute founded in 2008 that convenes approximately 80 central banks and financial regulators from developing countries across 80 countries to advance financial inclusion policy, peer learning, and regulatory reform for underserved populations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Financial Inclusion Policy Advisory

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), International Affairs (9721), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Development Cooperation & Foreign Aid Administration (BPAIAIAG)

Keywords

• Financial inclusion policy
• Central bank advisory
• Inclusive finance regulation
• Financial inclusion data
• Capacity building programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Kuala Lumpur

HQ country

Malaysia

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donor and Partner Funding: AFI is funded by international development donors and partners including the Gates Foundation and UNCDF. As a policy alliance rather than a commercial entity, AFI does not generate revenue from product sales or membership fees.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

AFI is a policy leadership alliance that operates peer learning networks, working groups, and knowledge platforms to help member central banks and financial regulators design and implement financial inclusion policies. It distributes policy models, toolkits, guideline notes, reports, and data products, and delivers training and credentialing programs through AFI Educate and the Certified Expert in Financial Inclusion Policy program. Funding comes from development donors and partners rather than commercial sales.

Product overview

AFI (Alliance for Financial Inclusion) is a policy leadership alliance, not a traditional product company. It offers a suite of knowledge platforms, tools, and programs for financial inclusion policy. The core offering includes the AFI Data Portal for financial inclusion data access and the AFI Policy Dashboard for monitoring policy changes. These are complemented by training programs through AFI Educate and the Certified Expert in Financial Inclusion Policy credential. AFI also produces extensive knowledge products including policy models (Gender Inclusive Finance, Consumer Empowerment and Market Conduct), toolkits (Gender-Responsive MSME Data Ecosystems, Sex-Disaggregated Data Toolkit, Inclusive Financial Stability Toolkit), and reports (Green Transition Measures, Fair Competition for Digital Finance). Additional programs include the Competition Enablers Knowledge Exchange (CKX), AFI Awards, and the Inclusive Fintech Showcase. The organization facilitates peer learning through Working Groups and coordinates Regional Initiatives across multiple geographic areas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AFI Data Portal Online platform providing access to 84 financial inclusion indicators for monitoring, reporting, and benchmarking progress across AFI member institutions and countries.
• AFI Policy Dashboard Interactive dashboard tool providing an overview of AFI member institutions' financial inclusion policy commitments and tracking policy change progress.
• AFI Educate Online learning platform offering courses on financial inclusion topics for policymakers and regulators.
• Certified Expert in Financial Inclusion Policy Professional certification program validating expertise in financial inclusion policy and regulation for central bank and financial regulatory staff.
• FinNeeds Toolkit Measurement framework by insight2impact outlining FinNeeds indicators, data sources, measurement approaches, and analysis methods for policy-ready financial inclusion insights.
• Sex-Disaggregated Data Toolkit Guideline note outlining steps for using supply- and demand-side sex-disaggregated data to close the financial inclusion gender gap.
• Guideline Note on Sex-Disaggregated Data Report Templates Guidance for regulated financial institutions on completing periodic financial data reporting using a sex-disaggregated data approach.
• Policy Framework on MSME Data Collection Framework providing guidance on MSME finance data collection with focus on gender issues and disaggregated data for women-led MSMEs.
• Policy Model for Gender Inclusive Finance Policy guidance document consolidating global knowledge from AFI members on advancing women's financial inclusion and narrowing gender gaps in formal financial services.
• Gender-Responsive Toolkit for MSME Data Ecosystems Practical toolkit providing diagnostic tools, indicator frameworks, and real-world examples to support policymakers, regulators, and data stakeholders in building gender-responsive MSME data ecosystems.
• Advancing Fair Competition for Inclusive Digital Finance Special report exploring how competition shapes growth, inclusiveness, and innovation of digital financial services in emerging markets.
• Inclusive Financial Stability Toolkit Toolkit offering practical guidance for integrating financial inclusion into financial stability and macroprudential frameworks.
• Competition Enablers Knowledge Exchange (CKX) Multi-stakeholder knowledge exchange network co-led by AFI and UNCDF that convenes regulators, policymakers, and experts to address competition imbalances in financial services.
• Green Transition Measures for MSMEs Report offering recommendations to assist financial regulators in initiating inclusive green finance policies for MSMEs.
• Consumer Empowerment and Market Conduct (CEMC) Policy Model Policy model developed by AFI's Consumer Empowerment and Market Conduct Working Group (CEMCWG) to strengthen consumer trust, confidence, and participation in financial systems.

Quantifiable outcome

• The Gambia's financial inclusion rate jumped from 19% to 82% in six years, driven by AFI-supported policy reforms.
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability7 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• National Bank of CambodiacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 June 2026The National Bank of Cambodia co-hosted AFI's Financial Inclusion Data and Impact Working Group and Financial Inclusion Strategy Peer Learning Group meetings in Phnom Penh from 22–25 June 2026, focusing on AI's role in financial inclusion monitoring.
• UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme)supportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2025UNEP collaborated with the Reserve Bank of Fiji and the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change to develop Fiji's first Sustainable Finance Roadmap, supported through AFI's inclusive green finance agenda.
• Central Bank of SeychellescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2025The Central Bank of Seychelles co-hosted a joint meeting of three AFI Working Groups (Financial Inclusion Data & Impact, Inclusive Green Finance, and SME Finance) in Victoria, Seychelles in April 2025, bringing together 131 participants from 59 member institutions.
• CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCGAP provides research insights and expertise on financial inclusion data, including the potential of supply-side gender-disaggregated regulatory data, which inform AFI's working group discussions and policy model development.
• ILO (International Labour Organization)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAFI collaborated with the ILO to develop the policy brief 'The Role of Central Banks and Other Financial Sector Regulators and Policymakers in Job Creation in Africa', examining how central banks can catalyze job creation while advancing financial inclusion.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor): CGAP is a global partnership housed at the World Bank Group focused on financial inclusion for the poor, producing research, data and policy guidance for regulators and inclusive finance actors. It directly overlaps with AFI's mission and the two organizations already partner on policy model development.
• UNCDF (United Nations Capital Development Fund): UNCDF is a UN development finance agency supporting inclusive finance in the LDCs, providing both funding and technical assistance to regulators. It already co-leads AFI's Competition Enablers Knowledge Exchange, reflecting close peer-level overlap in mandate and membership.
• G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI): GPFI is the G20's main platform for advancing financial inclusion internationally, producing principles, reports and peer-learning forums for policymakers. Operates in a similar international policy-coordination role and shares member institutions with AFI.

Broad incumbents

• Institute of International Finance (IIF): IIF is a global association of financial institutions that produces research, data, and policy advocacy on financial regulation. While oriented to industry rather than regulators, its policy work intersects with AFI's digital financial services and inclusion themes.
• IFC (International Finance Corporation): The IFC's financial sector advisory work supports regulators and financial institutions in emerging markets on financial inclusion topics such as digital finance, gender and SME finance, producing operational tools similar to AFI's working group outputs.
• World Bank Group: Through units such as the Global Findex and the Financial Inclusion Global Initiative, the World Bank conducts large-scale research, datasets, and advisory work on financial inclusion and financial sector policy, overlapping substantially with AFI's policy and measurement remit at broader scale.
• Bank for International Settlements (BIS) / FSI: BIS and its Financial Stability Institute publish policy guidance and run capacity-building programs for central banks on financial regulation, including inclusion-related topics. Overlaps with AFI in training and policy frameworks aimed at central banks globally.
• International Monetary Fund (IMF): The IMF engages central banks and finance ministries on financial sector policy, inclusion and stability frameworks, producing guidance that overlaps with AFI's policy work and often addresses the same member institutions across developing economies.
• OECD: OECD's financial inclusion and consumer protection work produces international guidance, measurement frameworks, and policy reviews that overlap with AFI's policy models and data-driven approach, particularly on digital financial services and consumer empowerment.

Emerging players

• Smart Campaign / CERISE: CERISE and the Smart Campaign develop standards, measurement tools and capacity building for responsible and inclusive finance among financial service providers. Overlaps with AFI on consumer protection, gender and inclusive finance methodology, but operates at the FSP rather than regulator level.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NewsAFI
• Facebookfacebook.com/AFI.History

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about AFI