by Rohit Dayanand -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: 2nd Annual Environmental Social Governance (ESG) Africa Conference; October 4-5, 2023; Sandton, South Africa

This conference offers opportunities to collaborate on incorporating environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) goals into organizations’ operations. The themes are: (1) Investment and Financing; (2) Measurement and Reporting; (3) Governance, Leadership and Culture; and (4) Legal. The itinerary for Day One of the event includes

by Renata Samadova -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Access Bank Botswana Borrows $20m from OPEC Fund for MSMEs, 30% Earmarked for Women

Access Bank Botswana, a subsidiary of the Nigeria-based Access Bank Group, recently agreed to borrow USD 20 million from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Fund for International Development to on-lend to micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), with USD 6 million of the total

by Elva Montelongo -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: TASC Borrows $3.5m from Spark+ Africa to Fund 90k Cookstoves, Reduce Carbon Emissions in Rural Zambia

Spark+ Africa Fund, a partnership of Switzerland-based Enabling Qapital and the Dutch NGO Stichting Modern Cooking (SMC), recently lent USD 3.5 million to The African Stove Company (TASC), which is based in Jersey, to sell 90,000 cookstoves in rural Zambia. Spark+ Africa raised the funds from the sale of “several million tons

by Elva Montelongo -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Sun King Raises $130m for Pay-as-you-go Solar in Kenya, Citi is Sole Arranger

With the goal of expanding access to off-grid solar energy in Kenya, the US-based solar products firm Sun King recently won a loan securitization denominated in Kenyan shillings equivalent to USD 130 million. Among the private participants are

by Renata Samadova -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: Africa Impact Summit; July 13-14, 2023; Cape Town, South Africa

With a focus on impact investing, this event will explore how to build markets in Africa as well as pipeline opportunities and challenges. The agenda includes sessions such as: (1) Investing in SMEs [Small and Medium-sized Enterprises] and Start-ups; (2) Systems and Design Thinking for

by Elva Montelongo -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Credit Bank, FSD Kenya Engaging SACCOs in Effort to Reduce Remittance Costs for Rural Kenyans

The UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) recently announced a pair of programs that will operate in Kenya under the EU’s Platform for Remittances, Investments and Migrants’ Entrepreneurship in Africa (PRIME Africa). In particular, IFAD will fund

by Anaya Jhaveri -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: First Consult, Mastercard Foundation, Seek to Create 400k Jobs in Ethiopia via Access to Finance, Wraparound Support for MSMEs, Entrepreneurs

Ethiopia’s First Consult and the Canada-based Mastercard Foundation recently launched a programme intended to increase financial inclusion and support 72,000 micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Ethiopia to

by Anaya Jhaveri -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: 8th Annual Symposium of the Nigerian Microfinance Platform; June 20-21, 2023; Lagos, Nigeria

This event is meant to serve as a platform for collaboration and the exchange of knowledge in support of financial inclusion. The agenda includes case studies, research and commentary from

by Rohit Dayanand -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: KEPFIC Member Pension Funds Invest $61m in Acorn Holdings, Kenya Mortgage Refinance Company (KMRC) to Boost Affordable Housing

Kenya’s Acorn Holdings Africa and the Kenya Mortgage Refinance Company (KMRC) recently won investments from members of the Kenya Pension Funds Investment Consortium (KEPFIC), a group of funds that collaborate to invest in alternative assets. In particular, KEPFIC pension funds placed

by Elva Montelongo -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: ANDE Annual Conference; September 12-14, 2023; Accra, Ghana

This event will observe the “half-way point” towards the 2030 target of achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. It is themed “Accelerating Action: Small Business Solutions and the SDGs,” and is to focus on cataloging the progress and ongoing needs of small and

by Elva Montelongo -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: Africa Fintech Summit (AFTS); November 2-3, 2023; Lusaka, Zambia

Twice a year, this event convenes to promote collaboration on entrepreneurship as well as issues and opportunities regarding financial technology (fintech) in Africa. Following a pre-event dinner on November 1, the first day will include a

by the MicroCapital Team -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Abler Nordic Sells Equity Stake in Microfinance Institution Baobab Senegal, Retains Holding in Parent Company

Abler Nordic, a partnership of public and private investors based in Denmark and Norway, recently sold its stake in Baobab Senegal for an undisclosed price to the latter’s parent company, Baobab Group, which operates microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Africa and China. Abler, known at the time as the Nordic Microfinance Initiative, bought the stake in 2012. Abler continues to hold a stake in Baobab Group.

“As we hand the baton on, we are very pleased with how the company has grown, the impressive social results they have achieved, and

by Anaya Jhaveri -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: M-Kopa Raises $250m to Expand Financing of Mobile Phones, Solar Equipment in Africa

M-Kopa, a Kenya-based company serving 3 million customers in four African countries, recently announced that it has raised approximately USD 250 million in fresh funds to expand its facilitation of financial and digital inclusion. In particular, the firm finances devices that it sells, such as

by Anaya Jhaveri -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Network International Unveils “Networkpay” Tools for SMEs in Egypt to Accept Digital Payments

UAE-based Network International recently rolled out its “networkpay” brand to bring its “direct-to-merchant” payment systems to Egypt. The service menu includes tools allowing retailers to accept point-of-service and

by Renata Samadova -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: Unlocking Solar Capital (USC) Africa; May 31 – June 1, 2023; Kampala, Uganda

The fifth iteration of this event will promote partnerships between investors and project developers to work toward universal energy access. The event will include sessions such as: (1) Integrated Energy Planning & Smart Subsidies to Achieve

by Ben Barba -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: African Development Bank (AfDB) Disbursing $1.6m for Green Finance in Benin, Côte d’Ivoire

The African Development Bank (AfDB) recently announced green finance facilities in partnership with the government of Benin’s La Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations du Bénin (CDC) and the government of Côte d’Ivoire’s Banque Nationale d’Investissement (BNI). The aggregate value