Listening to Youth - Market research to Design Financial and Non-Financial Services for Youth in Sub-Saharan Africa

YouthStart is a new UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) inclusive finance programme that aims to reach 200,000 youth in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) by 2014 with demand-driven financial and non-financial services, particularly savings and financial education initiatives. Eighteen Financial Services Providers (FSPs) from nine different countries were invited to participate in Phase I of YouthStart, which involved conducting market research to determine the design of youth-centered financial and non-financial services in the following areas: • Situation of youth including their political and socio-economic context • Regulatory framework that governs the provision of financial services for young people • Supply and demand of financial and non-financial services to young people • The financial needs and preferences of young people aged 12 to 24 This report pulls together key findings and recommendations from the market research conducted by the 18 FSPs across 9 countries that participated in Phase I of YouthStart. It is divided into three parts. I. Recommendations on the type of data and collection methods for FSPs seeking to develop youth financial and non-financial services II. Key findings of market research conducted by 18 FSPs III. Summaries of the findings of four FSPs that followed best practices in their research