CFI’s report provides the clearest picture yet of the challenges and opportunities that determine the business trajectory of micro and small enterprises (MSEs) in five rapidly changing emerging markets.

The survey of MSEs across Addis Ababa, Delhi, Jakarta, Lagos, and Sāo Paulo revealed digital products and services offered opportunities for growth and greater efficiencies, while highlighting resource constraints, consumer protection risks, and heightened vulnerability to economic and climate shocks, as challenges faced by the businesses.

Key findings from the study include:

• MSEs adopting digital tools were up to 10% more likely to report revenue growth, but usage of these tools remained low. In Addis Ababa, more than half of MSEs reported using no digital technology applications. MSEs in Delhi, Jakarta, and Lagos were using at least one digital tool.
• Entrepreneurs across the 5 cities reported using an average of 1.8 to 5 formal financial services, reflecting diverse levels of adoption and engagement with financial tools. Businesses that integrated digital payments reported significantly higher revenue per employee.
• Women entrepreneurs represented 70% of MSE owners in Jakarta, but just 11% in Delhi, with figures of 35% in São Paulo, 43% in Addis Ababa, and 53% in Lagos. In many markets, MSEs are not started by choice but as a response to unemployment, making the businesses more vulnerable and reducing long-term resilience, which has implications for financial service design.
• 1 in 3 micro and small businesses reported being impacted by drought, floods, or other environmental shocks, and less than 20% reported being able to come up with emergency funds within one week. Of those entrepreneurs impacted by an environmental shock, up to 29% said they were more likely to invest in adapting their business to the changing climate.

The study, supported by the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, used Adaptive Cluster Sampling – a research technique that enabled a strong focus on urban areas with high numbers of MSEs. CFI focused on understanding the drivers of financial health for MSEs that represent the largest source of income generation in emerging markets.

A total of 20,000 MSEs were surveyed, with 4,000 interviews conducted to build a sample that represents 1.7 million MSEs across the 5 cities.

“Nowadays, small businesses are facing unprecedented threats, from cyberattacks to the economic impact of extreme weather events,” said Payal Dalal, executive vice president of global programs at the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth.

“The research released by Accion highlights the opportunity to work alongside small businesses to provide solutions that secure them against these challenges; it’s not only about mitigating risks in the digital economy but making sure small businesses have the opportunity to thrive during this increasingly volatile time.”

The research highlighted the importance of access to digital technology and formal financing, but noted resilience was determined by a wider range of factors including personal safety nets, such as savings and informal support systems.

Businesses that combined access to credit, savings, and insurance with strong financial literacy were better positioned to manage shocks, and entrepreneurs with higher education levels were more likely to use a mix of different formal financial services, contributing to stronger resilience and improved financial health.

Researchers tracked the use of 10 distinct non-financial and financial digital technologies among MSEs, showing stark differences in adoption. In Addis Ababa, MSEs used an average of only 1.6 digital technologies, largely due to poor internet connectivity.

In contrast, Delhi, Jakarta, and Lagos showed wider adoption of digital tools, with messaging apps and social media used widely to engage customers.

E-commerce platforms remained under-utilized by MSEs across all cities, emphasizing potential for significant growth when barriers such as digital literacy and access are addressed.

The study also revealed many MSEs are already making small investments to prepare for shocks, such as stocking up on supplies before expected disruptions, investing in backup power sources, or reinforcing physical infrastructure.

Yet the same businesses reported low levels of borrowing in response to emergencies, demonstrating that financial services are not structured to support these types of preemptive or recovery-oriented investments.

During emergencies, traditional application and approval processes can be disrupted, leaving businesses without timely support, and underscoring the need for disaster-resilient financial services, such as pre-approved credit lines or insurance products that can provide immediate assistance to businesses when they need it most.

Edoardo Totolo, vice president of Research and Programs at the Center for Financial Inclusion at Accion and lead author of the report, said: “Our research shows when micro and small businesses are connected to the digital economy and a range of financial solutions, they are better equipped to withstand real-world emergencies. Unfortunately, insurance, savings, and responsible credit remain out of reach for many of these businesses that are the engines of their national economies.

“While the advantages of going digital are clear, policymakers and financial providers must design products tailored to the needs of these vulnerable businesses that they can easily use and trust to ensure advances in technology improve their financial health.”

Accion is supporting Dashen Bank to build an innovation hub that aims to expand digital banking services to micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) through a range of new products and a focus on women-owned businesses.

Ethiopia’s nearly two million MSMEs are important drivers of its economy, yet only 6% of microenterprises and 1.9% of small enterprises have access to formal credit. The financing gap in the MSME sector of the country is estimated to be $4.2 billion. 

Unemployment, low incomes, and a lack of financial education remain key reasons for a lack of access to formal financial services. 

Again, only 39% of women — compared to 55% of men — have an account at a formal financial institution, preventing them from accessing the evolving digital financial ecosystem and contributing to the country’s economic growth.

Dashen Bank has long been at the forefront of introducing innovative digital financial products and services in Ethiopia. It was one of the first banks in the country to launch a digital wallet, which helps small business owners make frictionless transactions. 

Now, with the new innovation hub being built with Accion, the bank aims to develop new solutions, embedded in existing supply chains for MSMEs in Ethiopia that still largely transact in cash, have few assets, and as a result, remain largely invisible to big banks. 

The innovation hub is one of the strategic pillars of the Bank’s sixth strategy plan designed to enhance its capacity to support MSMEs. This move is aimed at driving financial inclusion and fostering economic development through innovative digital solutions.

Asfaw Alemu, chief executive officer at Dashen Bank shared, “Despite their critical contribution to the country’s economic growth, small businesses, particularly those led by women, face significant financing challenges. This is largely due to high reliance on cash-based transactions leading to insufficient formal financial records of their business operations and women’s lack of ownership over assets to meet collateral requirements. 

“Through this partnership, we seek to address these challenges, build our operational capacity, enhance our credit offerings to meet the needs of small business owners, and develop a range of digital products and value propositions to help them access the resources they need to grow their businesses successfully. This landmark project underscores our commitment to staying always one step ahead, further cementing our reputation as an industry leader in Ethiopia’s financial sector.”

According to Yohannes Million, chief digital and information officer at Dashen Bank, “Our innovation hub aims to serve as a catalyst for empowering MSMEs by providing them with tailored digital banking solutions. Based in a dedicated facility, it will drive change as a platform where technology and financial services intersect to fuel progress and improve operational efficiency for our customers.”

Through strategic partnerships with those supply chains, Accion will help Dashen develop new products designed for MSMEs, using AI to crunch new types of data and develop new credit scoring models that are better suited to the realities of MSMEs, including those that are women-owned. 

Backed by this new data and extensive research, the innovation hub will build solutions such as credit from their existing suppliers via embedded finance products, and non-financial tools, such as business management support.

Dashen Bank has recently issued a tender to initiate the construction of this forward-looking facility. The innovation hub represents another bold step by the bank toward transforming Ethiopia’s banking landscape, demonstrating its unwavering commitment to harnessing the power of technology to drive progress and support economic empowerment. 

As part of its future roadmap, Dashen Bank will organize an innovation workshop for its leadership and staff, which will explore opportunities in cutting-edge technologies, including artificial intelligence, in collaboration with a globally recognized technology partner.

Raliat Sunmonu, vice president, Middle East and Africa, Accion Advisory said, “Ethiopia is one of Africa’s fastest-growing economies, and small businesses play a vital role in propelling its growth. 

“Through this collaboration with Dashen Bank – a leader in financial innovation – and other strategic partners, we are helping build a more inclusive ecosystem for MSMEs in Ethiopia. Together, we can deploy artificial intelligence and other tech tools to help remove bias and other roadblocks faced by micro, small, and medium enterprises, especially those led by women.”

Subhashini Chandran, senior vice president of Social Impact for Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth said: “Ethiopia is at a pivotal point in its journey to drive economic growth through inclusive and relevant services for micro and small businesses. Digital financial services are a critical component of that journey. 

“For the last decade, the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth has been working to advance financial inclusion around the world. We are excited to partner with Accion and Dashen Bank to develop inclusive financial services that can support the growth and resilience of small business owners in Ethiopia.”

This initiative is part of Accion’s 8-year partnership with the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth that supports the transformation of financial service providers, digital platforms, and fintechs, and aims to help 23 million people across 25 countries benefit from the digital economy.

With millions of women still excluded or underserved by traditional financial systems, this program is designed to provide solutions that particularly meet their unique needs, enabling them to grow their businesses and achieve financial independence.

To drive this huge impact, Accion is partnering with financial institutions such as Sajida in Bangladesh, Fidelity Bank in Ghana, SEWA (Self-Employed Women’s Association) in India, and Techreo in Mexico. 

Together, they will work to break down systemic obstacles, reduce gender inequalities, and expand financial access for women entrepreneurs worldwide.

Many financial service providers lack sustainable strategies to serve women customers, and existing products often do not meet their specific needs. This new program aims to create new solutions that can be replicated by other financial service providers, helping to advance women’s financial inclusion globally.

Accion’s team of experts will work with each institution on improving internal processes to promote gender equity, developing credit risk models, designing new products, and implementing strategies for sex-disaggregated data. 

New solutions are expected to include creating a digital profile for women who lack access to formal financial services, scaling a resilience fund in response to climate shocks, conducting market research to better understand social norms that prevent women from accessing and using financial services, and designing programs designed to address the financial needs of young women.

The 12-month program is supported by The Coca-Cola Foundation. It builds on Accion’s work connecting local ecosystem actors with the latest technologies to test, improve, and scale responsible financial solutions that enable small business owners and their families to strengthen their economic well-being.

Liza Guzmán, vice president of Customer Strategy and Women’s Economic Empowerment at Accion Advisory: “Over one billion women globally still lack access to the essential financial services that can help them build successful businesses and invest in their futures. Working with four partners – all leaders in financial inclusion in their countries – Accion will bring its deep experience helping companies provide innovative and affordable financial solutions to small businesses and hard-to-reach customers in emerging markets.”

Carlos Pagoaga, president of The Coca-Cola Foundation, noted: “We are building on our rich legacy of supporting women’s economic empowerment programs to provide underserved women with access to economic opportunities, which will ultimately create shared value with the goal of a better collective future, enhancing the livelihoods of women, their families, and their communities.”