A cross-section of researchers, students, and enthusiasts in digital financial inclusion gathered for a ReFinD research dissemination session themed “Bridging the Last Mile: Evidence in Expanding Digital Finance to the Last Mile.” The session showcased five ReFinD-funded research projects, exploring how digital finance tools are shaping access and opportunity for underserved populations. Participants engaged actively with the presenters, fostering meaningful exchange, critical feedback, and the emergence of new ideas for future research.
The session was chaired by Emeritus Professor Ernest Aryeetey, who, in his concluding remarks, thanked the grantees for their insightful presentations while offering a word of encouragement to the researchers.
“Let us look beyond digital payment systems and consider how they affect various aspects of life,” he advised. “It’s all about making use of technology to do things differently,” he said.
The presentations examined diverse dimensions of digital finance, with topics ranging from the expansion and productivity of mobile money agent networks, to the role of security in growing rural distribution networks, and the impact of digital tools on retail banking and microenterprises. The presenters -- Dr. Eric Mochiah, Dr. Michael Kodom, Dr. Ahmad Hassan Ahmad, Dr. Prince Boakye Frimpong, and Dr. Vida Afarebea Agyen -- shared evidence-based insights on strategies for effectively bridging the last mile in digital financial access.
Prof. Peter Quartey, Director of ISSER and Executive Director of ReFinD, delivered key learnings from the day’s discussions. He underscored the policy relevance of the research and its potential to support inclusive financial innovation, especially for communities that remain largely excluded from traditional financial systems.
The dissemination session reaffirms ReFinD’s commitment to supporting rigorous, policy-relevant research on digital financial services and inclusion. Organised as a side event of the 2025 edition of the Evidence to Action Conference (E2A2025), hosted by ISSER, the session provided a unique platform for sharing research findings and sparking dialogue on the evolving digital finance landscape. It was held on Monday, 14 July 2025, at the ISSER, University of Ghana.