Unlocking Financial Access in Emerging Markets

Banking the Next Billion

Financial inclusion in developing countries is no longer a philanthropic goal, it’s a growth imperative.

Across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, hundreds of millions of people remain unbanked or underbanked. Yet mobile penetration is soaring, 5G connectivity is expanding, and solar-powered infrastructure is reaching even the most remote regions.

These aren’t just enablers, they’re catalysts for a radically new financial model: one that meets people where they are, anticipates their needs, and scales profitably through hyper-personalised engagement.

From Infrastructure Gap to Innovation Leap

Unlike legacy-heavy markets, many developing countries are leapfrogging traditional banking infrastructure. This creates a unique opportunity:

• Mobile-first adoption: In markets like Kenya and Bangladesh, mobile wallets are more common than bank accounts.
• 5G and satellite connectivity: Next-gen networks are bringing real-time digital services to previously unreachable areas.
• Solar-powered devices and kiosks: Low-cost energy solutions enable 24/7 access, even off-grid.

Banks that adapt to this landscape aren’t simply deploying apps, they’re building financial ecosystems optimised for local context.

Microloans, Major Impact

Microcredit is a proven economic catalyst, but its success depends on precision and trust. Here’s where hyper-personalisation changes the game:

• Data-driven underwriting: Alternative credit scoring models use mobile usage, payment history, and behavioural signals to assess risk.
• Context-aware products: Loan structures aligned with seasonal income (e.g. agriculture, gig work) outperform rigid monthly repayment cycles.
• Dynamic pricing: Interest rates and repayment terms can adapt based on user behaviour, reducing default while improving affordability.

With the right infrastructure, these personalised microloan models can be delivered at scale and low cost, even without branches.

Hyper-Personalisation: The Competitive Edge

Personalisation isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity for adoption, retention, and impact in emerging markets. Why?

• Cultural relevance: Language, UX, and financial behaviours vary by region, religion, even village. Personalisation builds trust.
• Affordability and accessibility: One-size-fits-all products fail in diverse income environments. Tailored solutions drive usage.
• Engagement: Notifications, offers, and education tied to personal goals or behaviours significantly increase product uptake.

Critically, hyper-personalisation doesn’t have to be expensive.

Affordable Hyper-Personalisation at Scale

Thanks to cloud-native platforms and AI, even resource-constrained banks can deploy personalised experiences without heavy investment:

• Modular infrastructure: Microservices allow banks to add features (e.g. budgeting tools, chatbots, credit simulators) without core system overhauls.
• Edge computing: Smart devices can perform processing locally, reducing bandwidth costs and latency.
• AI + local data: Simple machine learning models trained on local behavioural data outperform imported scoring models.
• Open APIs: Partner with telecoms, solar providers, and fintechs to enrich data and service offerings, extending reach and reducing CAC.

The result is a low-cost, high-impact digital banking model that adapts to individual needs in real-time.

The Strategic Mandate: Inclusion as Growth

Banks in developing economies aren’t competing for existing wallet share—they’re unlocking new economic activity. The winners will be those who:

• Anticipate needs before they’re expressed
• Deliver products that flex with each customer’s journey
• Combine trust, relevance, and convenience better than any alternative

Hyper-personalisation makes this possible—and profitable.

Banking in developing markets is no longer constrained by geography or infrastructure. The combination of digital connectivity, alternative data, and AI-powered platforms enables banks to serve the unbanked not just efficiently, but intelligently.

This is the future of inclusive growth: hyper-personalised, low-cost, and embedded into the fabric of everyday life.

The demand is growing. And the competitive edge lies not in scale alone, but in understanding every customer, individually.

The question is, can your core banking provider help you build this understanding? Does it hold the data required and, more importantly, does it offer real-time access to all the customer information held in the core? SaaScada ensures that full unstructured data is available on demand, enabling you to build better insights into your customers. Our Product Sequencer simplifies the process of creating products, building product iterations and enabling you to build products that can deliver hyper-personalisation for your customers, quickly and affordably. Let us show you how.