Problem:‍

Limited granular evidence on user preferences and trade-offs in digital payments constrained effective product design and market segmentation. Understanding barriers is a critical step in advancing inclusion of vulnerable groups in digital payments. 

Despite rapid growth in mobile money and digital payment infrastructure across emerging markets, adoption and sustained usage of digital merchant payments remain uneven, with significant variation across merchant and customer segments. This gap between availability and meaningful use underscores the need for a deeper understanding of the behavioural, structural, and contextual factors shaping uptake.

The study identified key barriers to usage, alongside the motivations and choice drivers influencing payment behaviour. It also sought to surface actionable opportunities for deepening usage and improving the alignment of digital payment solutions with user needs.

A human-centred, mixed-methods approach was applied, combining qualitative research methods such as in-depth interviews, field observations, and journey mapping across diverse merchant and customer segments. Insights were synthesised into personas and segmentation frameworks to translate behavioural evidence into actionable inputs for product design, service optimisation, and ecosystem strategy.

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Solution/Outcome:‍

Applying economics-based conjoint analysis,and behavioural economics we conducted two country studies in Kenya and Nigeria. We combined international thematic expertise, local research partnerships, and field networks to generate user-level insights across diverse segments. Provided country level and cross-country  thematic insights reports. 

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