The Retail Finance Distribution (ReFinD) initiative showcased its research and achievements at the 9th Evidence to Action (E2A) Conference and Exhibition 2026 (E2A2026), engaging delegates, policymakers, researchers, development practitioners, and students from across Africa.
The exhibition was a key part of the continental conference, which brought together delegates and special guests from more than 14 African countries. It provided ReFinD with a valuable platform to highlight its growing body of work in digital finance and agent network operations, while demonstrating how research can inform policy, strengthen industry practice, and advance financial inclusion.
"ReFinD has made important progress in advancing knowledge on agent network operations and digital finance, while showing how research can influence policy and industry practice. It is gratifying to share these achievements with colleagues and partners from across Africa because they show the power of research to create real-world impact," said Executive Director, Prof. Peter Quartey.
Visitors to the ReFinD booth learned about its research, publications, and evidence-to-policy work, while exploring collaboration opportunities and ways to apply research to Ghana’s retail financial ecosystem.
The exhibition complemented ReFinD's scholarly contributions to the conference, where researchers presented "Beyond the Report: How Applied Research Shapes Industry Strategy and Regulatory Reform in Ghana's Digital Finance Sector" and participated in a Transformational Lab on strengthening evidence-informed decision-making.
The conference was organised by the International Centre for Evaluation and Development (ICED) in collaboration with the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER), and other partners under the theme, "Re-imagining the Evidence-Informed Policy and Decision-Making Ecosystem in Africa." It brought together researchers, policymakers, development practitioners, civil society organisations, and development partners to promote the use of African-led evidence in shaping policy and practice.
The E2A2026 exhibition gave ReFinD a valuable space to strengthen existing partnerships, forge new connections, and reaffirm its commitment to generating research that delivers meaningful impact beyond academia.