The National Association of Microfinance Banks (NAMB), a trade group of 900 microfinance banks in Nigeria, recently reported on the progress of microfinance in the country from 2005 to 2012.
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MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Nigerian Government Exempts Microfinance Banks (MFBs) from Value-Added Tax
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), the Nigerian government agency in charge of tax policy and collection, reportedly has revised the country’s tax laws to exempt microfinance banks (MFBs) from paying value-added tax (VAT) in an attempt to support the income of MFBs.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Canada to Support Nigerian Private Sector in Effort to Increase Job, Entrepreneurial Opportunities for Youth in Cross River State
A Senator representing Ontario, Canada, recently announced on behalf of Christian Paradis, the country’s Minister of International Development and La Francophonie, that the government of Canada will be providing unspecified financial support to “a new project that will increase job opportunities and promote entrepreneurship among young people in Nigeria.”
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) of Nigeria Approves Microinsurance Products from Mansard Insurance
The National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), the Nigerian insurance regulatory authority, reportedly has given Mansard Insurance, a Nigeria-based insurance company, approval to offer microinsurance plans to the public [1].
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Raiffeisen Bank Arranges $60m Loan to Microfinance Institution Access Bank of Azerbaijan
Raiffeisen Bank International, an Austria-based parent organization of financial service providers in 15 countries, has arranged a syndicated loan of USD 60 million with participation from 16 banks to AccessBank, a microfinance institution (MFI) in Azerbaijan.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Western Union, Paga to Augment Mobile Money Transfer Services in Nigeria
The Western Union Company, a US-based financial services company, recently partnered with Paga, a Nigeria-based mobile payment platform, to launch a mobile money transfer service in Nigeria.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: European Fund for Southeast Europe (EFSE) Loans $15m to AccessBank of Azerbaijan
The European Fund for Southeast Europe (EFSE), a Luxembourg-based microfinance investment vehicle (MIV), reportedly has provided a senior loan of USD 15 million to AccessBank, a microfinance institution (MFI) in Azerbaijan.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Dutch Development Bank Nederlandse Financierings-Maatschappijvoor Ontwikkelingslanden (FMO) Planning to Loan $10m to Bank Andara of Indonesia for On-lending to Microfinance Institutions (MFIs)
Dutch development bank Nederlandse Financierings-Maatschappijvoor Ontwikkelingslanden (FMO) recently signed a letter of intent with Bank Andara (Andara), an Indonesian provider of retail and wholesale microfinance services, to provide a local-currency senior loan equivalent to USD 10 million for on-lending to local microfinance institutions (MFIs).
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: European Fund for Southeast Europe (EFSE) Loans $63m to Belorusian-Russian Belgazprombank of Belarus, Banca Transilvania of Romania, Microfinance Institution AccessBank of Azerbaijan
The European Fund for Southeast Europe (EFSE), a Luxembourg-based microfinance investment vehicle (MIV) backed by multiple governments, recently disbursed loans intended to benefit micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the following amounts: EUR 20 million (USD 27.4 million) to Belorusian-Russian Belgazprombank, a Belorusian bank; EUR 15 million (USD 20.5 million) to Banca Transilvania, a privately-owned Romanian bank; and USD 15 million to AccessBank, an Azerbaijani for-profit microfinance institution (MFI) and a member of Germany’s Access Microfinance Holding (AccessHolding) [1].
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Financial Sector Deepening (FSD) of Kenya, Women’s World Banking of US Partner to Serve Women in Sub-Saharan Africa
Kenya-based Financial Services Deepening (FSD), a trust that provides funding to financial institutions, and US-based Women’s World Banking (WWB), a nonprofit that works with financial institutions to provide financial tools to low-income women in 28 countries, reportedly are partnering to provide financial services to women in Sub-Saharan Africa.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Kenya Commercial Bank, Safaricom’s M-Pesa Launch Mobile App KCB M-Benki to Increase Financial Inclusion
Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB), a publicly traded financial services company in Kenya, has partnered with Safaricom, a Kenyan mobile service provider that operates the mobile money service M-Pesa, to launch a mobile banking application called KCB M-Benki in Kenya and five other East African countries serviced by KCB [1].
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Goodwell West Africa Invests Equity in Mainstreet Microfinance Bank of Nigeria
Goodwell West Africa, a private equity fund managed by Netherlands-based social investment company Goodwell Investments and Nigeria-based investment management and advisory firm Alitheia Capital, has announced that it will be making an equity investment of an unspecified amount in Mainstreet Microfinance Bank (MFB), a microfinance institution in Nigeria [1].
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: Tanzania Postal Bank (TPB), World Savings Banks Institute (WSBI), Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to Launch “TPB Popote” to Reach Unbanked Tanzanians
The Tanzania Postal Bank (TPB), a Tanzania-based financial services organization, recently partnered with the World Savings Banks Institute (WSBI), a Switzerland-based international banking association, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), a US-based nonprofit organization, to launch a new mobile banking service called “TPB Popote” that aims to increase the financial inclusion of low-income people in rural regions of Tanzania.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: MasterCard Introduces “SME Online” Internet Payment Solution in Nigeria
US-based payment solutions company MasterCard reportedly has introduced a new internet payment service called “SME Online” for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: ICICI Bank, Vodafone Bring M-Pesa Mobile Money Service to India
Vodafone Group Private Limited Corporation, a British multinational mobile network operator, and the ICICI Bank, a commercial bank in India, have announced that they have expanded Vodafone’s mobile pesa (M-Pesa) cash transfer service to India.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Pakistan’s Habib Bank Limited (HBL) Establishes Branchless Banking Service “HBL Express”
Habib Bank Limited (HBL), a Pakistani commercial bank, has implemented a new branchless banking service, HBL Express.
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).