India’s finance ministry reportedly has cleared the draft of a microfinance bill following its public circulation for comments in July 2011 [1]. Continue Reading »

“A Simple Poverty Scorecard for Afghanistan” by Mark Schreiner; published by Microfinance Risk Management LLC; January 2012; 117 pages; available at http://www.microfinance.com/#Afghanistan Continue Reading »

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has exempted microfinance banks from participating in the Cash-Lite banking system in recognition of the challenges of training and persuading microfinance customers to use electronic and cashless banking services, such as automated teller machines (ATMs) and checks. Continue Reading »

The Association of Banks in Cambodia (ABC) and the Cambodian Microfinance Association (CMA), two trade associations with a combined membership of 64 financial institutions, have formed a joint venture with New Zealand-based credit bureau developer Veda Advantage to launch the Credit Bureau (Cambodia) Company Limited (CBC), which will maintain a database of credit information intended to help banks and microfinance institutions (MFIs) in making “accurate loan decisions based on borrower’s positive and negative credit history” [1]. Continue Reading »

A group of eight CEOs of nonprofit microfinance organizations has issued a “Road Map for the Microfinance Industry: Focusing on Responsible and Client-Centered Microfinance.” Continue Reading »

The Central Bank of Uzbekistan, the country’s central banking authority, has increased the minimum amount of charter capital required of microcredit organizations (MCOs) to the local currency equivalent of USD 129,000 [1]. Continue Reading »

Cambodian government officials reportedly are looking to negotiate down the interest rates on microfinance loans, arguing that current rates are unsustainable for the country’s rural farming population and that defaults are causing many farmers to become landless. [1] Continue Reading »

The Central Bank of Nigeria has begun taxing cash withdrawals and deposits that exceed NGN 150,000 (USD 931) per day for individuals and NGN 1,000,000 (USD 6,205) per day for corporations [1]. Continue Reading »

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), India’s central banking authority, has refused to give a special exemption to commercial banks, that include HDFC Bank, Corporation Bank and Axis Bank, to restructure loans outstanding to microfinance providers BASIX Group and Sharada’s Women’s Association for Weaker Section (SWAWS) Credit Corporation India Private Limited under a classification other than as non-performing assets [1] [2]. Continue Reading »

By Kate Lauer, Denise Dias and Michael Tarazi; published by CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor); December 2011; 24 pages; available at: http://www.cgap.org/p/site/c/template.rc/1.9.55781/ Continue Reading »

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Deputy Governor Mr H R Khan has announced that Indian microfinance institutions (MFIs) will now be allowed to execute external commercial borrowings (ECB)–those that are raised from outside India–of up to USD 10 million per financial year, twice as much as was previously allowed [1]. Such funds must be “utilised for lending to self-help groups or for micro-credit or for bonafide micro finance activity including capacity building.” [2] The change is intended to address liquidity issues in the industry [1]. Continue Reading »

The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK), Kenya’s central banking authority, has reportedly issued guidelines allowing deposit-taking microfinance institutions (DTMs) to use agents to provide financial services in an effort to promote financial inclusion of the “unbanked and under-banked population” [1]. Continue Reading »

The Lagos State Chapter of the National Association of Microfinance Banks (NAMB), a trade group of microfinance banks (MFBs) in Nigeria, has reportedly asked the federal government not to set up MFBs [1]. Continue Reading »

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Pakistan’s central bank, recently announced that it has developed a detailed strategy to promote the sustainable growth of microfinance as outlined in its “Microfinance Strategic Framework 2011-2015” that is intended to “foster a pro-poor and sustainable development of the country” [1]. Continue Reading »

“AMT Directory of Microfinance Investors,” published by the African Microfinance Transparency Forum (AMT), November 2011, available for a fee through info@amt-forum.org, preview available at: http://www.amt-forum.org/fileadmin/media_amt/publications/AMT_Directory_…

Luxembourg-based nonprofit African Microfinance Transparency Forum (AMT) recently published the third edition of its directory of microfinance investors, which is updated every two years to facilitate relationships between African microfinance institutions (MFIs) and investors active in Africa. Continue Reading »

The Prime Minister of Vietnam recently approved a National Microfinance Strategy, which aims to develop a safe and sustainable microfinance system to ensure social welfare and sustainable poverty eradication in the country Continue Reading »

The Nepalese government is instituting a microinsurance fund that will “reinsure” products sold by insurers to “divert risk created by settlement of insurance claims” [1]. Continue Reading »