Author Archives: hannah

Africa´s largest financial inclusion programme creates suspicion

Posted on 8. September 2014 by hannah

On August 28, 2014, the pilot programme of the MasterCard-branded National eID card was launched in the Nigerian capital, Abuja. In the pilot phase, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) will issue MasterCard-branded identity cards with electronic payments functionality to … Continue reading →

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Is ProCredit exiting Africa?

Posted on 4. September 2014 by hannah

ProCredit Holding, one of the most successful and most structured greenfield holdings, seems to become used to exiting its African affiliates. They have been courted with equity and technical assistance from a range of development finance institutions (DFIs) including KFW, … Continue reading →

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Mobile Money in the DRCongo – a nut to crack for MNOs

Posted on 3. September 2014 by hannah

The GSM Association launched a study in July 2013 as part of its Mobile Money for the Unbanked (MMU) programme. According to the study, DRC is one of the most promising mobile money markets in Sub-Saharan Africa due to an … Continue reading →

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Microfinance and educational credit: A promising alliance?

Posted on 2. September 2014 by hannah

This was the title of yesterday´s event in the House of Microfinance in Luxembourg. Since LMDF invests in the Higher Eduction Finance Fund (HEFF) and the board meeting was held yesterday, LMDF proposed a brief session to introduce HEFF to … Continue reading →

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Agent management – how to set up the channel

Posted on 24. August 2014 by hannah

I know… I know… it took me longer than planned. But here it is: The continuation of my previous blog “Microfinance Institutions and Alternative Delivery Channels (ADCs)” which was based on the presentation by Mark Flaming and Joseck Mudiri “Microfinance … Continue reading →

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Microfinance Institutions and Alternative Delivery Channels (ADCs)?!

Posted on 14. August 2014 by hannah

Is this a question or a statement? There are quite some unanswered questions about microfinance institutions developing alternative delivery channels, such as agent or ATM networks or other mobile financial services. Do microfinance institutions have sufficient institutional capacity, sufficient resources … Continue reading →

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Psychometrics in credit analysis – Threat or Promise?!

Posted on 7. July 2014 by hannah

A recent article in the Financial Times (June 25, 2014) brings the topic and discussion around it back on the table. Psychometric tests as part of a credit analysis become increasingly popular, especially with commercial banks and large microfinance institutions. … Continue reading →

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Partnership for Financial Inclusion conference in Johannesburg!!

Posted on 23. May 2014 by hannah

This is the titel of a two-day conference I am attending. The partnership was launched on May 7, 2012 with the objective to “project will create new opportunities for economically disadvantaged people to expand businesses, gain access to cost-effective financial … Continue reading →

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Reasons to be wary of African debt expansion

Posted on 5. May 2014 by hannah

Nobody is quite clear how to look at the African expansion of capital markets. Does it present healthy investment opportunities or rather the early signs of a dangerous credit bubble? The IMF review issued last week mentioned improved fiscal policies, … Continue reading →

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Booming but fragile new middle class in Africa

Posted on 22. April 2014 by hannah

The article in the Financial Times from last weekend ( April 19/20, http://www.ft.com/intl/indepth/the-fragile-middle) mentions how Africa has effectively developed a new middle class numbering 115m in 1980, reaching 326m in the past years. But only 14% (44m) have only firmly … Continue reading →

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