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Sep 2015
Tanzania: Dar Leads World in Mobile Money
September, 30 2015
Tanzania - Tanzania has emerged the leading country in the world in mobile financial services, the World Bank has said in its World Development Report ...
Zurich Pledges to Focus 10% of Investments on Delivering 'Positive Impact'
September, 30 2015
Switzerland - Insurance group Zurich has revealed plans to plough around $100m into companies and projects that have a positive environmental or social impact ...
A. Murphy, Senior Mobile Analyst, WorldRemit: Burundi - Sending Cash Home: Mobile Money is a Gamechanger
September, 29 2015
Burundi - With more mobile money accounts than bank accounts in Burundi, Alix Murphy says the country is a good testing ground for trialling remittances by mobile. ...
T. Ehrbeck, Partner, Omidyar Network: Why is Financial Inclusion so High on the Development Agenda?
September, 28 2015
Global - In the sustainable development priorities for the next 15 years adopted by heads of states in New York this week, the United Nations has highlighted financial inclusion as an important enabler for poorer households in the informal economies of the global south to increase resilience and better capture opportunities. ...
India’s High Tech Strategy for Inclusive Growth
September, 28 2015
India - Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Silicon Valley is the quintessence of how technology can be at the centre – not at the sidelines – of progress, and of how India is poised to position itself at the very forefront ...
Six Lessons from Mobile Money Ventures in Developing Countries
September, 28 2015
Global - In many emerging economies, the need to give people in poverty better access to financial services seems obvious. The mobile phone is a perfect vehicle, given their widespread adoption, even among the financially less well off ...
Kenya: Faulu Lands Sh1 Billion to Fund Small Firms
September, 26 2015
Kenya - EIB's new lending deal is the first partnership with Faulu Microfinance Bank under a new EUR 50 million (Sh5.85 billion) initiative to support microfinance institutions across East Africa. ...
N. Acharya: U.S Treasury Announce Major Rule Changes to Support Global Entrepreneurs and Impact Investment
September, 25 2015
Global - The two rule changes put forward by the U.S. Treasury Department earlier this week remove important barriers that have historically kept even more American capital from being deployed around the world. ...
Want to Boost Global Growth by Trillions? Improve Gender Equality, McKinsey Report Says
September, 24 2015
Global - Numerous studies have shown balancing the gender scales doesn’t just help women—it helps the economy, too. A new report from the McKinsey Global Institute offers a new eye-popping estimate of that untapped potential ...
In Africa, to Secure a Loan You Now Hand over Your Phone for a High Tech Financial Health Check
September, 24 2015
Africa - Bosini's company is a part of a growing trend of financial technology start-ups in emerging markets such as Africa, India and China that are taking business away from traditional banks in the areas of credit, savings and insurance ...
UBS, DBS Said Among Buyers in $6.5 Billion China Post Deal
September, 24 2015
China - Postal Savings Bank is selling about a 15 percent stake to outside investors, according to the people, as Chinese President Xi Jinping seeks to introduce more market discipline to state-owned enterprises ...
India: Lok Targets Those Who Couldn't Bag Small Finance Bank Licence
September, 24 2015
India - Rockefeller Foundation-backed Lok Capital is not resting on its laurels after four of its portfolio companies got a 'in-principle approval' for a small finance bank (SFB) licence. It is now targeting those which could not get the approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for an SFB, through its third fund of $100 million that it is currently raising. ...
Investments with Social Benefit Doing Big Business in Developing Countries
September, 23 2015
Global - Impact investors are funding services for new consumers moving towards the middle class – but is “profit with purpose” the way forward for global goals ...
Minding the Gap: Evaluating SME Financing in Latin America
September, 23 2015
Latin America - Small and medium-sized enterprises play a vital role in driving economic growth in many countries, and the Latin America and Caribbean region is no exception. More than 90 percent of businesses in the region are classified as SMEs but a financing gap of nearly $250 billion exists to fund their activities ...
N. Gehani, Marketing and Communications Manager, MIX: India - 1.3 Million Square Miles of Financial Inclusion
September, 22 2015
India - As the report examines in more detail, each state and region has unique issues to deal with, as well as unique starting points in terms of access and distribution. ...
India Mobile Wallet Market to Reach US$ 6.6 Billion by 2020, Says TechSci Research
September, 22 2015
India - According to TechSci Research report, "India Mobile Wallet Market Opportunities & Forecast, 2020", mobile wallet market in India is projected to reach US$ 6.6 billion by 2020. The mobile wallet market in India is projected to exhibit exponential growth during the forecast period, on account of rising smartphone penetration rate, growing mobile internet user base, and increasing government support ...
IFC Offers $30m Loan to Bank Republic to Boost SMEs in Georgia
September, 22 2015
Georgia - The International Finance Corporation (IFC) is teaming up with one of the leading banks in Georgia to encourage business growth and job creation in the country ...
IDB: Paraguay Will Expand Access to Financing by Water and Sanitation Councils and Families at the Base of the Pyramid
September, 22 2015
Paraguay - IDB loan to Visión Banco will increase access to financing and enable homes to carry out improvements and connect to water and sewer systems. ...
Nigeria: Microfinance Bank - Untapped Window of Foreign Direct Investment
September, 22 2015
Nigeria - “We initiated the policy in microfinance banking some years back but the operators refused to take advantage of the international convergence of financers to attract foreign funds through direct equity participation, loans and grants for microfinance banks and institutions,” Enyinnah said ...
India: Energy Sector Is the Highest Spender on CSR
September, 22 2015
India - Energy companies spent the highest on corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives in the year ended 31 March, the first year after rules were implemented requiring companies to spend 2% of their net profit on social development ...
India: Can RRBs Stand Up to Their New Rivals?
September, 21 2015
India - The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is examining the efficacy of Regional Rural Banks (RRBs), which will be up against tough competition from 23 new banks — two new private sector banks, 11 payments banks and 10 small finance banks — in a year or two. ...
Lack of Long-term Finance Hinders Progress in Developing Countries - World Bank
September, 20 2015
Global - The new report tagged “Global Financial Development Report 2015-2016, released on Tuesday in Dar es Salaam, added that it also hampered the ability of credit-worthy families to borrow for education and housing needs and escape poverty ...
Equity Completes Acquisition of DRC-based ProCredit Bank
September, 18 2015
DRC - Making the announcement, Equity Group CEO James Mwangi said the transaction to acquire 79 per cent stake of ProCredit Holding issued shares was complete. ProCredit is an SME focused bank in the DRC. ...
Small-scale Bolivian Farmers to See Revenue Rise with Support from IDB
September, 17 2015
Bolivia - A $62 million loan will help Bolivian farmers increase their revenue and reduce their food insecurity ...
Women’s Market Represents Trillion-Dollar Opportunity for Insurance Industry, New Report Finds
September, 17 2015
Global - By 2030, the insurance industry is expected to earn up to $1.7 trillion from women alone—half of it in just 10 emerging economies, presenting a significant business opportunity for sustainable and inclusive growth, according to a new report released on September 17 by IFC, a member of the World Bank Group. ...
India: Small Finance Banks - MFIs to Scout for Domestic Equity
September, 17 2015
India - The microfinance institutions (MFIs) which have secured in-principle licences to start a small finance banks (SFB) are now faced with the task of raising a substantial amount of domestic capital over the next 18 months to meet the regulatory requirement. ...
Sustainable Development Goals Fail to Recognise Role of Business
September, 16 2015
Global - The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their 169 associated targets fail to recognise the importance of business as a force for social change concludes a new report by the British Council and Social Enterprise UK (SEUK). ...
Sustainable Investing: Are Companies Finally Moving Money Away from Fossil Fuels?
September, 16 2015
Global - Wall Street’s big banks are starting to realize it’s possible to drop oil without dropping returns. ...
‘Investing in Energy Efficiency Makes Economic Sense’
September, 16 2015
Global - 70 financial institutions – ranging from regional and microfinance institutions to national and global banks – from over 20 countries have vowed to step up financing for energy efficiency investments and develop business strategies that save energy and reduce carbon emissions ...
India: RBI Names 10 Companies to Set Up Microfinance Banks
September, 16 2015
India - 10 entities, including Ujjivan Financial Services and Equitas Holdings, today got RBI's approval to set up Small Finance Banks to provide basic banking services to small farmers and micro industries. ...
More Rwandans Go Digital as Rate of Poverty Drops
September, 15 2015
Rwanda - The number of Rwandans owning a mobile phone has increased from 6.2 per cent of the country's total population in 2000 to 63.6 per cent in 2014 as poverty dropped to 39 per cent, the fourth Integrated Household Living Survey, launched yesterday in Kigali, says ...
Faith Kiarie: South Africa - Tightening the Screws on Microfinance
September, 15 2015
South Africa - The recent fall of unsecured lending giant, African Bank, reminds us all of the importance of curbing reckless lending and the level of indebtedness of South African consumers is worrying. But correcting these wrongs needs to be done without removing all responsibility from borrowers, without punishing lenders who’ve been observing the law, and without putting unnecessary strain on economic growth ...
Sustainable Development: Sanitation Needs More Private Investment
September, 15 2015
Global - “One of the main challenges is the fact that in much of the developing world, responsibility for managing water and sanitation rests with government,” says Will Davies, Africa lead for the IFC’s 2030 Water Resources Group. “Utilities are often not run on financially sustainable lines and so find it difficult to access private financing. ...
Experts Divided Over Value of UN Sustainable Development Goals
September, 15 2015
Global - When world leaders gather in New York this month at the UN General Assembly, they are set to endorse an ambitious package of global economic, social and environmental objectives for the coming 15 years ...
Ghana: MFIs Must Consolidate to Attract Investors
September, 12 2015
Ghana - Speaking at the International Investors’ Forum on Microfinance in Accra, organised by the Ghana Microfinance Institutions Network (GHAMFIN) and The Microfinance Association, Mr. Adetosoye explained that due to the size of the MFIs in Ghana, investors are looking at economies like Nigeria and Kenya that have sizable MFIs which serve the underserved ...
Myanmar Needs Cautious Approach
September, 11 2015
Myanmar - The prospect of doing business in Myanmar just got juicier. With its very first credit-risk rating coming up, Myanmar is likely to see a new injection of investments ...
Funding Sources for Islamic Microfinance Institutions
September, 10 2015
Global - Although the Islamic microfinance with its innovative product line and systems receives a huge demand and acceptance across the world, the lack of funding can weaken its potential of growth in the future ...
Cambodia: Solar Financing on the Way
September, 10 2015
Cambodia - LOLC Micro Credit, Vision Fund and Credit Mutuel Kampuchea are interested in tapping into rising demand for solar energy for off-grid homes. Under the program, customers can obtain loans with 2 percent monthly interest to buy certified systems. ...
Egypt Must Do More to Boost Access to Finance for SMEs: Euromoney Panel
September, 08 2015
Egypt - Limited access to finance and high collateral requirements from banks is a major hurdle stifling the growth of Egyptian companies, experts said at the 20th annual Euromoney Conference in Cairo on Tuesday ...
N.Mylenko, the World Bank Group: Financial Inclusion in Asia - Time for Disruption?
September, 08 2015
Asia - More than half of the world’s population lives in Asia and its robust growth is supporting the world economy. ...
FAO and MasterCard to Provide Inclusive Payments for Small-scale Farmers
September, 07 2015
Global - UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and MasterCard have united to create inclusive payment systems to support small-scale farmers and poor families that practise agriculture. ...
New Funder Guidelines: Market Systems Approach to Financial Inclusion
September, 03 2015
- Funders need to think of their role not as providers of missing services in the market but rather as facilitators ...
Asia: ADB Report - SMEs Need Finance to Grow
September, 03 2015
Asia - In its Asia SME Finance Monitor 2014 released on September 2, the ADB emphasised that SMEs’ growth is key to strong, sustainable growth in Asia as the world recovers from the recent global economic slowdown. ...
India: Banks Turn Away from AP MFIs
September, 03 2015
India - After turning the corner, microfinance institutions (MFIs) are galloping in the rest of India, yet in the undivided Andhra Pradesh - once one of their biggest markets - the institutions never really picked up since the 2010 debacle. ...
G.Seel, BankTech Consulting: Enabling Women’s Savings
September, 03 2015
Global - Is a move toward digital savings a better answer to the financial needs of poor women than continuing to roll out robust savings associations ...
The Case for Islamic Microfinance in Africa
September, 02 2015
Africa - Yet while interest-free finance has been documented in many regions of the world, little is written about its development in Africa. Therefore, assessing the state of interest-free microfinance in Africa is difficult, because of data limitation ...
How to Sell Insurance to Low-income Earners in Africa
September, 02 2015
Africa - In Africa, insurance has traditionally been a preserve of the rich. Most poor people have no safety nets and therefore risk losing everything in the event of serious illnesses, accidents, sudden deaths in the family or damage to their property ...
Cambodia Considers Interest Free Finance for Microcredit
September, 02 2015
Cambodia - Microcredit in Cambodia is now taking on a new turn with the possibility of having interest free finance as a new strategy to reach to the poor. ...
India: 'Conventional Banking Is for Rich, Poor Need New System'
September, 02 2015
India - “If you have to travel on water, you need a boat. What is being done now is akin to trying to use a car to sail in the ocean.” This was how Nobel Peace prize laureate and micro finance pioneer Muhammad Yunus described efforts for financial inclusion. ...
IFC-backed Report Supports Entrepreneurship in Mena
September, 01 2015
Middle East and North Africa - A new IFC-supported report by Wamda Research Lab finds that although support for entrepreneurs and start-ups has grown substantially across the Middle East and North Africa, many challenges remain, hindering job creation and economic growth ...
Micro-insurance Offers Families in Poorer Countries Protection from Destitution
September, 01 2015
Asia - Increasing access to health, life and accident insurance helps to prevent already vulnerable people being propelled into further privation ...
India Announces New Partnership to Accelerate Financial Inclusion for Everyone
September, 01 2015
India - Government of India is joining the UN-based Better Than Cash Alliance. The announcement comes on the first anniversary of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's flagship financial inclusion programme Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY). ...
ADB $400 Million Loan Helps Indonesia Create More Inclusive Finance Sector
September, 01 2015
Indonesia - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $400 million program loan to help Indonesia develop its financial sector, including expanding access to financial services for poor households ...

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