Seyram Avle (University of Massachusetts, Amherst)

Data as collateral and other stories: Fintech, financialization, and datafication in Africa

This paper examines emergent practices of datafication via fintech apps in Africa. Drawing on cases from Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria, I show how the tensions of digital access versus digital sovereignty intersect with financial regulation amidst shifting geopolitics. Crucially, I discuss how consumers and policy makers might navigate the inherent tradeoffs presented by these imbrications.