MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Zambia Seeking to Leverage Government Infrastructure for Private FSPs to Increase Rural Financial Inclusion

The Zambian government recently announced a plan to give financial services providers access to government buildings in rural areas to expand their service footprints. The authorities are looking to make financial access points available in every district of Zambia, where 18 percent – or 32 – of the country’s districts lack such an amenity. The aim is to boost rural financial inclusion in the country from its recently measured level below 57 percent to at least 75 percent. Nationwide, the rate of inclusion was already 69 percent as of 2020.