The executive director of the Zimbabwe Association of Microfinance Institutions (ZAMFI), Mr Godfrey Chitambo, reportedly cautioned the Zimbabwean public recently against microfinance institutions (MFIs) that are taking deposits illegally.
Category: Transparency
MICROFINANCE PUBLICATION ROUND-UP: Government Efforts to Achieve Financial Inclusion in India; Index-based Insurance in South, Southeast Asia; Microinsurance Claims Management
“Report of the Committee on Comprehensive Financial Services for Small Businesses and Low Income Households;” published by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI); December 31, 2013; 247 pages; available at http://rbidocs.rbi.org.in/rdocs/PublicationReport/Pdfs/CFS070114RFL.pdf
This report was authored by the Committee on Comprehensive Financial Services for Small Businesses and Low Income Households, which was appointed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in September 2013 to propose measures for increasing access to financial services in India.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), MasterCard Partner to Support Financial Inclusion, Transparency in Latin America, Caribbean
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), a US-based multilateral financial institution that seeks to support sustainable economic growth in Latin America and the Caribbean countries, has partnered with MasterCard Incorporated, a US-based payments and technology company with operations in 210 countries and territories, to expand electronic payment systems in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) [1].
MICROFINANCE PUBLICATION ROUND-UP: Partnerships in Mobile Financial Services; Africa Microfinance Pricing Reports; Impact Assessment of EFC Zambia
“Partnerships in Mobile Financial Services: Factors for Success;” by Mark Flaming, Aiaze Mitha, Michel Hanouch, Peter Zetterli and Greta Bull; published by the MasterCard Foundation and the International Finance Corporation (IFC); October 2013; 18 pages; available at http://www.ifc.org/wps/wcm/connect/88486280414940acb54ab79e78015671/Partnerships+in+Mobile+Financial+Services.pdf?MOD=AJPERES
This report presents findings from a study exploring the factors that determine the success of business partnerships among telecommunication firms, financial institutions and other organizations in providing mobile financial services.
SPECIAL REPORT: “Making Microfinance Investment Responsible” Group Wrestles with Inconsistent Data Reporting at European Microfinance Week
On this first day of European Microfinance Week, which is hosted by the 140-member European Microfinance Platform (e-MFP) of Luxembourg, e-MFP’s “Making Microfinance Investment Responsible” Action Group convened to work on the data it has collected on client protection from 10 microfinance investors, rating agencies and NGOs.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: UN’s Principles of Responsible Investment (PRI) Initiative Launches New Reporting Framework Seeking to Increase Transparency
The Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) Initiative, the United Nations-backed network of international investors seeking to integrate environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) issues into their investment strategies, has announced the launch of a new reporting framework for its signatories that is aimed to increase the transparency of their investment activities [1].
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: State Bank of Pakistan Launches Financial Literacy and Awareness Program for Farmers
The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), the nation’s central banking authority, recently launched a financial literacy and awareness program for farmers in an effort to increase agricultural credit outreach in the country.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (NOI) Poll Reveals Mobile Money Not Widely Adopted in Nigeria
A recent survey in Nigeria on the adoption of mobile money services, conducted by the Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (NOI) Polls, an opinion polling and research organization based in Nigeria, concluded that sixty percent of Nigerians do not know what mobile money is or that it is offered in their country.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Moody’s Analytics, Microfinance Centre (MFC) Partner to Launch Social Performance Assessment (SPA) in Europe, Central Asia
Moody’s Analytics, a unit of US-based Moody’s Corporation that aims to help capital markets and credit risk professionals respond to market changes, and the Microfinance Centre (MFC), a Poland-based microfinance resource center, recently partnered to launch Moody’s Analytics Social Performance Assessment (SPA), a tool that analyzes the performance of microfinance institutions and operations, in Europe and Central Asia.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: 33 Microfinance Institutions Close Down in Cameroon
Thirty-three microfinance institutions (MFIs) have been forced to close down in Cameroon since 2012 due to reported “fraud” and disobedience of the “defined rules” of procedure [1].
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Nepal’s Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) See 21% Growth in Profit During 2013-2014 Amidst Concerns over High Interest Rates Charged to Borrowers
Microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Nepal reportedly are experiencing a period of growth that some say can be attributed to high interest rates charged to borrowers.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: MFTransparency Reveals Truth in Lending Tables Data Platform and Pricing Transparency Index
MicroFinance Transparency (MFTransparency), a US-based nongovernmental organization that provides information on microcredit products and their prices, recently revealed the Truth in Lending Tables (TILT) Data Platform that displays the interest rates and fees charged to 40 million microfinance clients of 429 institutions across 20 countries.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Democratic Republic of Congo Fights Corruption by Paying 1m Civil Servants via Mobile Banking
Since Prime Minister Augustin Matata Ponyo vowed in 2012 to replace all cash wage payments in the hopes of minimizing corruption, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has issued wage payments to 270,000 of 1 million civil servants via mobile banking.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Luxembourg Fund Labeling Agency (LuxFLAG) Accepting Microfinance Label Applications Through May 7, Issues Environment Label to BNP Paribas L1 Equity World Aqua
The Luxembourg Fund Labeling Agency (LuxFLAG), a nonprofit organization that investigates whether investment vehicles actually support the microfinance and environment sectors, is accepting applications from microfinance investment vehicles (MIVs) for its annual Microfinance Label until May 7, 2013.
MICROFINANCE PUBLICATION ROUND-UP: Microfinance Institution Tiers, Microfinance in East Africa, Weather Risk Management
“Microfinance Institution Tier Definitions;” published by MicroRate; April 2013; 2 pages; available at http://www.microrate.com/media/downloads/2013/04/MicroRate-White-paper-Microfinance-Institution-Tier-Definitions.pdf
This report proposes a “tier system that defines microfinance institution [MFI] peer groups by institutional maturity to provide a foundation for industry analysis and informed dialogue.”
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation to Bailout Microfinance Institutions, Primary Mortgage Banks
The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), a quasi-independent agency of the federal government that insures deposit-taking financial institutions, recently announced that it will grant an undisclosed amount of financial assistance to distressed microfinance banks (MFBs) and primary mortgage banks (PMBs) recently closed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: China Microfinance Institution Association (CMIA) to Introduce Credit Rating System for Microfinance Institutions As Early As July 2013
The China Microfinance Institution Association (CMIA), an organization that advocates for the interests of 92 domestic member microfinance institutions (MFIs) covering 27 provinces, plans to introduce a credit rating system to evaluate MFIs as early as July.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: MFTransparency Launch Transparent Pricing Initiative in Morocco in Partnership with Netherlands Platform for Microfinance, Planet Rating, Centre Mohammed VI de Soutien a la Microfinance Solidaire
MicroFinance Transparency (MFTransparency), a US-based NGO, is bringing its “Transparent Pricing Initiative” to Morocco.