Anup Singh

Associate Director

Anup Singh leads MSC’s regional office in Anglophone Africa and heads the Helix Institute based in Nairobi, Kenya. With 16 years of experience, his expertise includes the digital transformation of financial institutions, digital readiness assessment of social protection programs, digital credit scoping, design and policy, training programs, and FinTech mapping, scoping, and policy design.

Anup has advised more than 150 institutions, including governments, FinTechs, financial institutions, investors, and multilateral organizations in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia, and South Africa in the African continent, and India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Vietnam, Myanmar, China, Papua New Guinea in the Asian continent. He has also trained at the Boulder Institute of Microfinance, Italy, in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2021.

A few examples of his recent work are as follows:

  • Quality and usage of digital financial services by open-air market and cross-border women traders in Kenya for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. (2021-23)
  • Assessment of best practices in digital credit by micro-entrepreneurs for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. (2022)
  • Landscaping of agent lending and recruitment practices for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. (2022)
  • Development of East Africa strategy 2022-30 for the Financial Services for the Poor (FSP), Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. (2021-22)
  • Assessment of agent network management in Kenya, Côte d’Ivoire, and Mozambique for GSMA. (2021-22)
  • Research on personal financial investment and wealth management for FSDU in Uganda. (2021)
  • Technical assistance to the Financial Technology and Service Providers Association (FITSPA) members to comply with the NPS Act and regulations for FSDU in Uganda. (2021)
  • Strategy and digital transformation plan for SMFI-Shabelle Bank funded by Mercycorps in Ethiopia. (2021)
  • Conducted an assessment of additionality and customer protection risk of the African Guarantee Fund (AGF) for CDC. (2021)
  • Development of Awash Bank’s digital financial services strategy and implementation plan funded by Awash Bank in Ethiopia. (2020-22)
  • Development of an Integrated Farmer Services platform investment for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in Rwanda. (2020)
  • Strategy development for the CRDB Foundation to focus on corporate social responsibility activities for CRDB Group in Tanzania. (2020)
  • The feasibility of building an interoperable state-wide digital payment infrastructure funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in Kaduna state, Nigeria. (2020)
  • Formulation of the proof of concept for Responsible Digital Transformation Lab (ReDiLab) funded by AFD across the globe. (2020)
  • Feasibility study for the transformation of BRAC Liberia and BRAC Sierra Leone to deposit-taking institutions funded by BIHBV. (2020)
  • Design thinking to refine personal retirement programs for the mass market funded by ICEA LION in Liberia and Sierra Leone. (2020)
  • Development of customer journeys and wireframes for the product roadmap of the Rwanda National Digital Payments Strategy, funded by Access to Finance Rwanda: Led the team that built the user journey and interface for the Rwanda National Digital Payments Strategy. (2019-20)
Before joining MSC, Anup worked as an Associate with the Centre for Microfinance in Chennai. He advised various financial institutions, such as Fullerton, Cashpor, and Spandana, to design and implement enterprise financing and value chain lending products. Anup also worked with agricultural finance and livelihood services providers, such as BAIF and BILT, to develop and re-engineer value chains. He holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Forest Management from the Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal, India. Anup is fluent in English and Hindi.

Posts by Anup Singh

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs)- Kenya report (round 3)

The report examines the devastating impact of COVID-19 on Kenyan MSMEs even after the restrictions on movement were relaxed and the market opened. The report shares the recommendations for stakeholders to support MSMEs in this critical time.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on farmers- Kenya report (round 3)

The report uncovers the findings of the third round of a dipstick research funded jointly by MSC and SCBF. It shares a detailed analysis of the impact of COVID-19 on farmers, even after the markets reopened and restrictions on movement were eased. The report further provides recommendations for the government, policymakers, and other private agencies to revive the agriculture sector.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on CICO agents- Kenya report (round 3)

This report covers the findings of the third round of a dipstick research funded jointly by MSC and SCBF. It captures a detailed analysis, insights, and recommendations on the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on CICO agents in Kenya. It also highlights recommendations for policymakers and donors to support the CICO agents.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on low- and moderate-income (LMIs) populations and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs)- Comparative report

This report provides an overview of the impact of COVID-19 on low- and moderate-income (LMIs) populations, and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and cash-in and cash-out (CICO) agents, in Asia and Africa, their coping strategies, and recommendations for policymakers and financial service providers to support them.

MSMEs in Kenya amid COVID-19: A question of survival

In this blog, we present key insights from MSC’s research on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and their coping strategies. We conclude with recommendations for the government to formulate policy measures and for the donor agencies to support the recovery of Kenyan MSMEs and build their resilience.

Impact of COVID-19 on farmers in Kenya and the government’s response

This blog captures the analysis of the impact of COVID-19 on farmers in Kenya and their coping mechanisms. The blog further explores how the government is supporting the sector with relief measures, and what more needs to be done by the public and private agencies to help the sector recover.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on farmers-Kenya report

This report highlights the findings of the dipstick research jointly funded by MSC and SCBF. It captures a detailed analysis of the impact of COVID-19 on farmers and their coping strategies. The report further provides recommendations for policymakers and financial service providers to support the farmers.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on CICO agents- Kenya report

This report highlights the findings of the second round of the dipstick research jointly funded by MSC and SCBF. It captures a detailed analysis of the impact of COVID-19 on CICO agents and their coping strategies. The report further provides recommendations for policymakers and financial service providers to support their recovery.