How Digital Frontiers Is Strengthening Risk-Based Supervision for Inclusive DFS

Digital Frontiers launched its Risk-Based Supervision for Inclusive Digital Financial Services Programme in early 2026, an eight-week scholarship-funded initiative designed to strengthen supervisory capacity in fast-evolving digital finance markets.

Over an intensive eight-week period, sixty-two supervisors from six supervisory authorities across Africa and Asia participated in a blended learning experience, combining online modules, live class discussions, in-country Communities of Practice, and a final Capstone project.

We are excited to announce that the cohort achieved a 100% pass rate, supported by consistently high engagement throughout the programme.  Engagement remained strong throughout the programme, with participants consistently joining live learning sessions and actively contributing to Communities of Practice (CoPs) discussions. The CoPs became valuable spaces for supervisors to exchange experiences, explore emerging supervisory challenges, and collaboratively develop practical, risk-based approaches to advancing inclusive digital financial services.

These outcomes reflect not the ease of the programme, but the strong commitment of participants, combined with a well-structured learning experience and sustained support throughout.

From Learning to Application

A key strength of the programme was participants’ ability to translate learning into practice.

Over the eight weeks, participants progressed through a structured learning journey, from foundational concepts such as proportional supervision to applying risk-based supervisory approaches, leveraging data-driven supervision and SupTech, and addressing both prudential risks and consumer protection considerations.

This learning was reinforced through in-country Communities of Practice (CoPs), where facilitators, nominated by participating central banks, played a critical role in guiding discussions, supporting peer learning, and helping participants contextualise course content within their own institutional environments.

This role was assigned to a relevant facilitator for each participating supervisory authority, who supported the application of learning within the local context:

• Bank of Tanzania – Edgar E. Mwakasitu
• Bank of Uganda – Lucy Kihembo
• Central Bank of Kenya – June Ruhweza
• Central Bank of Nigeria – Usman Bayero
• Ethiopian Capital Market Authority – Elsabet Getachew
• State Bank of Pakistan – Sundus Saleem

The programme culminated in the development of Capstone projects, in which participants applied these concepts to real-world institutional challenges. Through these projects, they designed practical approaches to strengthening supervisory frameworks, improving risk prioritisation, and responding to emerging risks in digital financial services.

By progressing from structured learning to locally anchored facilitation and applied problem-solving, participants moved beyond theory and began embedding risk-based supervision approaches within their institutions.

Building Supervisory Capacity

The programme, delivered with the support of technical experts Mehmet Kerse and Denise Dias, is designed to equip supervisors with both the technical depth and practical relevance to:

• Apply risk-based approaches in their day-to-day work
• Identify and respond to emerging risks
• Support more inclusive and effective digital financial services ecosystems
• Participants are now better positioned to contribute to strengthening supervisory systems within their institutions.

“The content was directly aligned with the challenges we face in supervising digital financial services.” – Cohort 1 Participant

Looking Ahead

In recognition of their achievement, all participants have been awarded a 100% scholarship to continue their learning through additional Digital Frontiers Institute programmes, further strengthening institutional capacity.

The strong outcomes from Cohort 1 reflect the quality of participant nominations, the commitment of those selected, and the support of participating institutions.

Building on this momentum, preparations for Cohort 2 are underway, with growing interest from additional institutions. We look forward to continued and new partnerships that share our commitment to strengthening supervisory capacity and advancing inclusive digital financial services.

 

View the brochure to learn more about our Risk-Based Supervision Programme, and for more information, please get in touch with Kauthar Conrad at +27 72 436 7670 or kauthar@digitalfrontiers.org.

(Article originally shared on Digital Frontiers on 14 July 2026)