Accurate and reliable data is paramount in promoting and understanding the current state of financial inclusion. With concrete data, BSL and financial institutions can monitor and report on the challenges and progress of financial inclusion in the country. The NSFI 2 laid emphasis on the importance of data - if the Strategy is to be successful in improving financial inclusion, data is needed to assess its impact and challenges.
To develop an inclusive financial system, the BSL collects data from both the demand and supply side of the financial system. The supply side deals with collecting banking statistics, returns and other information from financial providers, while the demand side is based on individual field surveys, collecting feedback on complaints, challenges and personal experiences.
In with support from the World Bank, the BSL has been able to identify and map out all financial access points in the country. The project initially started in 2017 where a geospatial survey was conducted to map all access points across the different districts. This data has been updated in 2023 and will be continuously updated moving forward.
