South African youth face distinct credit market barriers despite active economic roles.
Loading player...
GUEST – Jaco van Jaarsveldt, Head of Commercial Strategy and Innovation at Experian
Young South Africans are actively contributing to key sectors of the economy, yet they remain underrepresented in the credit market, according to Experian’s latest Consumer Default Index (CDI) for Q1 2025. While the CDI for the total market has improved by 14% year-on-year, the report highlights persistent barriers that avert youth from building financial independence through responsible credit access.
The CDI Youth measure – an indication of first-time technical arrears amongst consumers in youth segments, typically under 30 – improved significantly over the past year, decreasing from 7.55 in March 2024 to 5.76 in March 2025. This positive shift in CDI is primarily influenced by a more cautious lending environment, which has led to restricted credit supply.
Young South Africans are actively contributing to key sectors of the economy, yet they remain underrepresented in the credit market, according to Experian’s latest Consumer Default Index (CDI) for Q1 2025. While the CDI for the total market has improved by 14% year-on-year, the report highlights persistent barriers that avert youth from building financial independence through responsible credit access.
The CDI Youth measure – an indication of first-time technical arrears amongst consumers in youth segments, typically under 30 – improved significantly over the past year, decreasing from 7.55 in March 2024 to 5.76 in March 2025. This positive shift in CDI is primarily influenced by a more cautious lending environment, which has led to restricted credit supply.
