by Sheen Gupta -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: 8th African Islamic Finance Summit; March 23-25, 2022; Brikama, The Gambia

This event is structured as a one-day summit followed by a two-day workshop. Topics include Islamic Banking, Finance, Fintech (Financial Technology) and Financial Inclusion; Development of Islamic Microfinance in West Africa; Takaful (Islamic Insurance), Sukuk and Islamic Capital Markets; and Investment Opportunities in Africa. The summit includes an award ceremony to

by Sheen Gupta -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: CDC, DFC, Norfund Investing $95m in AgDevCo for Agribusiness in Sub-Saharan Africa

AgDevCo, an investor in smaller agribusinesses in Africa, is receiving a funding package of USD 90 million from three development finance institutions (DFIs): USD 50 million in equity from the UK-based CDC Group, USD 20 million in equity from Norway’s Norfund and USD 20 million in debt from the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC). The organizations

by Vighnesh Avadhanam -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: Africa Fintech Summit; April 21, 2022; Washington, DC, USA

The Africa Fintech Summit (AFTS) offers a platform on which “ideas are explored, investments mobilized, and collaborations formed” relating to financial technology (fintech) in Africa. The event will cover topics such as regulation; how to boost African talent in the technology field; and environmental, social and governance considerations. Session titles include: US-Africa Fintech Connection, Investing in African Fintech, and Cryptocurrency and The Future of Money. Furthermore, the AFTS gives out awards to entities and individuals

by Adhya Singh -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: Impact Investment Summit Asia Pacific; March 29 – April 1, 2022; Sydney, Australia

Themed “Collective Wisdom, Courage, and Urgent Action,” the goal of this event is to encourage greater use of “capital as a force for good.” Its speakers represent investors seeking to promote

by Adhya Singh -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: Microfinance & NBFCs Exhibition (MINE) cum Conference; March 11, 2022; Chennai, India

This conference will include speakers from the government and the private sector on topics such as the effects of COVID-19 on microlending and the ways new forms of technology can boost the field’s “overall reach and profitability.” Sample topics include the

by Sheen Gupta -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Scott Nathan Takes Helm as CEO of DFC, Major Funder of Microfinance in Low-, Middle-income Countries

Scott Nathan recently was confirmed by the US Senate to serve as CEO of the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), which partners with “the private sector in the developing world to improve livelihoods and address global challenges like climate change, pandemic threats and persistent economic disparities.” Mr Nathan has worked in

by the MicroCapital Team -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: Impact Investing World Forum; April 28-29, 2022; London, UK

This conference will cover topics such as investing in gender equality and mitigating and adjusting to climate change. The speakers are to include representatives from organizations such as Big Issue, the EU, Goldman Sachs, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, UBS (Union Bank of Switzerland), and the World Bank Group’s International Finance Corporation. Among the session topics are “The Anatomy of a Deal During COVID-19 and Beyond,” “Investing in Housing as Part of Criminal Justice Reform,” “Impact Investing in

by the MicroCapital Team -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: World Finance Conference; August 1-3, 2022; Turin, Italy

This conference promotes the exchange of ideas in research, teaching and managerial practices relating to finance, economics and banking. Although the detailed agenda for this year has not yet been finalized, the last iteration of the event included topics such as microsavings, interest rates,

by Adhya Singh -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Medical Credit Fund Raises $37m from the Netherlands’ Government, Philips, European DFIs to Boost Financing for SMEs to Fight Malaria, Boost Maternal Health in Africa

Medical Credit Fund (MCF), one of the four nonprofit members of the Netherlands-based PharmAccess Group, recently raised a mix of equity and debt totaling EUR 32.5 million (USD 36.7 million) to “expand the Fund’s presence and support to healthcare providers in sub-Saharan Africa.” In particular, the new funding is slated for investment in

by Sheen Gupta -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: BOA Kenya Nets IFC Guarantee for Lending to Women-led, Climate-focused SMEs; Potential Performance-based Incentives

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, recently announced a partnership with Bank of Africa (BOA) Kenya to expand its lending to women-led and climate-focused small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). IFC will reimburse BOA Kenya for

by Divya Deshmukh -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: Association of Ethiopian Microfinance Institutions (AEMFI) Biennial Microfinance Conference; January 25-28, 2022; Bahirdar, Ethiopia

The 11th edition of this conference is themed “Promoting Digital Finance and COVID-resilient Financial Services towards the Achievement of Financial Inclusion.” Researchers and practitioners will present their papers and experiences on topics such as client protection; debt moratoria; partnering with banks and financial technology (fintech) firms; governance; regulation; and funding renewable energy, clean water and sanitation. Sessions will also cover

by Zach Deluca -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: ATB Secures $23m Loan Guarantee from DFC for Local-currency Lending to MSMEs in Tunisia

Arab Tunisian Bank (ATB) recently acquired a guarantee in the amount of USD 22.75 million from the government-backed US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) to support its local-currency lending to “inland and hard-to-reach” micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Tunisia. The focus on inland areas is motivated by

by Zach Deluca -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: DFC Approves $9m, 10-year Loan to Apollo Agriculture of Kenya

Kenya-based Apollo Agriculture, a technology company that works with small-scale farmers to boost their profits, recently agreed to borrow USD 9.5 million for up to 10 years from the government-backed US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC). Apollo provides the following services in Kenya,

by Divya Deshmukh -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: Opportunity Collaboration; September 25-29, 2022; Miches, Dominican Republic

This event is dedicated to fostering relationships among social entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders and funders via “conversations for change, capacity-building clinics, mealtime salons, affinity circles and impromptu working groups.” Delegates may also present

by Divya Deshmukh -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: Sankalp Africa Summit; March 1-4, 2022; Nairobi, Kenya

In parallel with its sibling Sankalp events that have a global or Southeast Asian focus, this forum is intended to “leverage the knowledge and networks from entrepreneurs, investors, corporations and policymakers” to promote “development through entrepreneurship and innovation.” The theme for the ninth Sankalp Africa Summit is “mainstreaming impact” to create