The Dark Side of Development
David R. Whitehouse, Mila Agius"If you aren't already, you really should be checking out David Whitehouse's excellent Substack which picks apart exactly what is going wrong with international development.” - King's College London, School of Global Affairs
| Platform |  | Pricing | Freemium | Publishes | Weekly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Issues | 165 | Founded | 4 years ago | Last Issue | 5 days ago |
| Active | |||||
Read this Newsletter
drdavidwhitehouse.substack.comLatest Issues
Winners and losers in Africa mobile money industry revealed by Airtel IPO
Global mobile money spending increased to $2 trillion in 2025, with sub-Saharan Africa the largest contributor at $1.4 trillion. But is everyone on the continent benefiting from the surge?
Click here for my latest in Devex
(Sign-in for f...
World Bank-backed ID system in Ethiopia creates exclusion risks
Regwrap: South Africa payments, Thailand digital security, Pakistan open banking, Brazil gambling, EIB accountability
A World Bank backed banking ID verification system in Ethiopia highlights the risks of effective exclusion in an environm...
Macron’s last chances are on the international stage
French President Emmanuel Macron greets Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet at the Elysée, April 8, 2026.
Image: Hun Manet via X.
Mass demonstrations, looting, police surprise at the size of the crowds. Police use of war-li...
Regulatory Briefing: Mexican Digital Payments, South Africa Crypto Pivot, DFI Impact Disclosure
Brazil Pix, Uzbekistan loan marketing, Rwanda agricultural loan pilot
In this week’s Regulatory Briefing:
Brazil’s betting ban highlights the impact story the fintech industry prefers to ignore
Singapore AI; India legal evidence rules; Kenya credit licensing; Nigeria financial inclusion; Ghana NPLs; West Africa payments
Electoral considerations no doubt lay behind the timing of the banned on fixed-odds betting imposed by Brazilia...
Audience Metrics
Subscribers, engagement, traffic and sponsorship for The Dark Side of Development .
| Subscribers | Engagement | 72 | Monthly Web Visits | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accepts Sponsors | Estimated Cost per Ad | ||||
SEO Reach
Where The Dark Side of Development ranks on Google, and how much search traffic it brings in.
| Ranked Keywords | 26 | Monthly Search Traffic | Top Keywords |
|---|
Chart Rankings
How this newsletter ranks in the official Substack charts.
| #139 | |
| #221 |
Authors
The writers behind this newsletter.
Journalist, author, historian (PhD). Former Bloomberg editor of 17 years, then 6 years at The Africa Report. Contributor to The Banker (FT) and Devex. Microfinance, fintech regulation in developing countries. Weekly updates.
Behavioural psychologist, 10+ years in fintech, and author of Fintech Novel 2040. My work explores what makes communities durable — how trust, belonging, incentives and shared memory turn audiences into systems that survive change.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I access the email archive for The Dark Side of Development ?
You can find recent issues that have been published by The Dark Side of Development on Reletter by scrolling up to where it says Latest Issues. Tap on the link for any of the most recent emails or hit More Issues to see older ones.
How many subscribers does The Dark Side of Development have?
To see how many people subscribe to The Dark Side of Development , simply upgrade your Reletter account. We provide readership numbers and lots of other stats for this newsletter so you can decide if it's worth reaching out to.
How can I advertise in The Dark Side of Development ?
Newsletter advertising can be extremely effective when it's done right. Before you pitch The Dark Side of Development as a potential sponsor or partner, make sure that you've done your research and checked its newsletter stats with Reletter.
Then, personalize one of our winning pitching templates and send it to the right person using the contact info provided.
How much does it cost to sponsor a publication like The Dark Side of Development ?
Newsletter ad rates (or CPM) vary depending on many factors, including industry, number of subscribers, open rate, ad placement and more.
To find out how much an ad will cost, contact The Dark Side of Development using the contact information provided and ask for a copy of their media kit.
How can I find newsletters related to The Dark Side of Development ?
Scroll up to where it says Related Newsletters to see other publications like The Dark Side of Development . You can also search our email newsletter directory to discover other newsletters that cover the topics you're interested in.
How do I contact The Dark Side of Development ?
Reletter provides this newsletter's website URL above, where you will often find their contact information. We also provide links to associated social media accounts and pitching templates so you can reach out fast.