by the MicroCapital Team -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Engie Acquires Mobisol, Provider of Pay-as-you-go Solar Systems in East Africa

Engie, a France-based, “low-carbon” energy firm, recently agreed to acquire Mobisol, a Germany-based provider of solar-powered products in Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania, for an undisclosed price. Among the reasons Engie is pursuing the transaction is the opening for “extending its customer base from rural to urban areas.”

Mobisol provides solar-powered products such as lights and telephone chargers that customers pay for via mobile payments over as many as four years. When a buyer wishes to delay a payment, Mobisol can temporarily disable the device remotely.

Engie’s holdings include: (1) Fenix International, which has delivered solar home power systems to

by Jolene Khor -

MICROFINANCE PAPER WRAP-UP: “Using Satellite Data in Financial Inclusion;” published by CGAP

By Maria Fernandez Vidal and Peter Bull, published by CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor), July 2019, 24 pages, available at https://www.cgap.org/sites/default/files/publications/2019_07_Technical%20Guide_Using_Satellite_Data.pdf

In this paper, the authors provide guidance on how satellite data and data analytics can be used by financial service providers (FSPs) to extend the reach

by Eugene DeCosse -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: Columbia University Social Enterprise Conference; October 11, 2019; New York, USA

Themed “capital for good,” this event’s program is intended to “bring together industry leaders, professionals, academics, students and alumni to share best practices and engender new ideas surrounding the intersection of business and society.” Sample session topics include:

by the MicroCapital Team -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Creation Investments Social Ventures Fund IV Closes with $184m to Invest in Microfinance, SME Finance

US-based Creation Investments Capital Management LLC recently met its goal of securing commitments totaling USD 184 million for its Social Ventures Fund IV. The investors were a mix of “existing and new investors including corporate pension plans, funds of funds, insurance companies, endowments and foundations, public pension funds, and family offices.”

With approximately USD 700 million in assets under management as of September 2019, Creation Investments seeks to “serve the

by Jolene Khor -

MICROFINANCE PAPER WRAP-UP: “Taxing Mobile Phone Transactions in Africa: Lessons from Kenya,” by Njuguna Ndung’u

By Professor Njuguna Ndung’u, published by the Africa Growth Initiative at the Brookings Institution, August 2019, 14 pages, available at https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Taxing_mobile_transactions_20190806.pdf

In this paper, the author uses data from the Central Bank of Kenya to explore the impact that the taxation of mobile phone financial transactions and airtime may have on the use of mobile

by Anna Gravois -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Sierra Leone Launching National Digital Identity Platform in Partnership with Kiva, Rippleworks, UNCDF, UNDP

The government of Sierra Leone recently launched “Africa’s first blockchain and decentralized identity implementation” in partnership with Kiva, a US-based nonprofit microfinance fundraiser, as well as the UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) and the UN Development Programme (UNDP). The national digital identity platform is powered by

by Anna Gravois -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: Fintech and Insurtech Innovator Summit (FINNOSUMMIT) for Innovation on Financial Services in Latin America; September 10-13, 2019; Mexico City

This eighth iteration of this event offers speakers, panels and workshops related to financial technology (fintech) and insurance technology (insurtech), as well as access to two startup competitions. Session topics include

by Jolene Khor -

MICROFINANCE PAPER WRAP-UP: “A G7 Partnership for Women’s Digital Financial Inclusion in Africa;” published by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

Published by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, July 2019, 24 pages, available at https://docs.gatesfoundation.org/Documents/WomensDigitalFinancialInclusioninAfrica_English.pdf

This report offers five ways in which G7 countries can contribute to making digital financial services more accessible to the 400 million individuals

by Anna Gravois -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: NilePay, Zain to Launch Mobile Money Service in South Sudan

NilePay PLC, an electronic financial services company in South Sudan, and the local member of the Zain Group, a Kuwait-based mobile telecommunications firm, are launching a licensed mobile money service in South Sudan. The NilePay service will allow customers to

by Jolene Khor -

MICROFINANCE PAPER WRAP-UP: “Smallholder Households: Distinct Segments, Different Needs;” published by CGAP

By Jamie Anderson, Ramesh Karrupusamy, Paul Enrico Neumann, Howard Miller and Ram Tamara; published by CGAP; April 2019; 12 pages; available at https://www.cgap.org/sites/default/files/publications/2019_04_Focus_Note_Smallholder_Households_Distinct_Segments_Different_Needs.pdf

To ensure that financial service providers (FSPs) are able to: (a) identify opportunities to serve smallholder households; (b) provide services that are tailored to smallholders’ needs;

by Anna Gravois -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Sahmati Account Aggregator Platform to Allow Borrowers to Share Credit Histories Digitally with Microfinance Lenders in India

Four financial regulators in India recently began work on Sahmati, a digital account aggregator (AA) platform that is to allow loan applicants to encrypt their financial data and transmit it to lenders. Sahmati users will be able to

by Jolene Khor -

MICROFINANCE PAPER WRAP-UP: “Leveraging Technologies to Improve the Quality and Maximize the Productivity of Agent Models;” published by the Center for Financial Inclusion (CFI) at Accion

By Jacqueline Foelster and Amin Khairy; published by the Center for Financial Inclusion; June 2019; 20 pages; available at https://www.centerforfinancialinclusion.org/leveraging-technologies-to-improve-the-quality-and-maximize-the-productivity-of-agent-models

As financial services providers (FSPs) seek new ways to meet the needs of underserved customers at a low cost, the authors observe a trend toward the use of agents. Through various agent models, financial institutions “designate authority and responsibility to banking agents to deliver financial products and services” with

by Eugene DeCosse -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Flutterwave, Alibaba Group’s Alipay to Offer Digital Payments Between Africa, China

Flutterwave, a US-based business-to-business (B2B) payments service that focuses on Africa, recently began collaborating with Alipay, a payments unit of the Chinese technology conglomerate Alibaba Group, to provide digital payments from Africa to China and

by Eugene DeCosse -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Launches Rural Enterprise Finance Project (REFP) to Expand Mobile Banking, Financial Literacy Training in Mozambique

The UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) recently launched the Rural Enterprise Finance Project (REFP), aimed at improving access to national and regional markets for people in rural Mozambique. The project includes elements such as

by the MicroCapital Team -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Microfinance Institution Juhudi Kilimo of Kenya Sells Equity Stake to Incofin CVSO for $2.4m

Juhudi Kilimo, a for-profit microfinance institution (MFI) in Kenya, recently sold an ownership stake of unspecified size for EUR 2.2 million (USD 2.4 million) to Incofin CVSO, a cooperative fund managed by Belgium-based Incofin Investment Management. Juhudi, which mainly serves rural areas, intends to use the new funding to

by Eugene DeCosse -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Turkish Mobile-payments Platform ininal Partners with Visa to Offer Cash-out at ATMs

A provider of digital wallets in Turkey, ininal, recently partnered with Visa, a US-based payment technology company, to offer prepaid Visa cards to its 3 million customers. This will allow ininal customers

by Soham Mehta -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: Uniglobal Asia Pacific Microfinance Forum; October 22-23, 2019; Singapore

The second annual iteration of this conference will focus on the influence of financial technology (fintech) on the barriers to entry, efficiency and costs of microfinance institutions (MFIs), including how to implement and optimize various technologies. Sessions will cover skills such as