News
Oct 21, 2021
Washington D.C., October 21, 2021 — The 2021 Global SME Finance Forum Awards winners were announced today on during the virtual conference 2021 Global SME Finance Forum. To learn who the winners are, please visit https://www.smefinanceforum.org/awards-2021 Organized by IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, and the SME Finance Forum and endorsed...
Rural & Agriculture Finance
Oct 15, 2021
Access to electricity remains a challenge in Benin, with 60% or 7.6 million people, predominantly in rural areas, having no access. The government has set ambitious goals to achieve urban and rural electrification rates of 95% and 65% by 2025. A quarter of the country’s energy mix is expected to come from renewable energy. Solar operator and...
Sustainable Finance
Oct 14, 2021
Triodos Groenfonds and Hivos-Triodos Fund have each provided USD 1.5 million equity as part of a USD 9 million project construction investment to PowerGen Renewable Energy. The capital funding will be used to build 28 rural mini-grids in Nigeria providing access to energy to 55,000 people. This project represents the largest mini-grid development...
Sustainable Finance
Oct 07, 2021
The Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) is the first Philippine bank to join the Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials (PCAF) as part of its commitment towards sustainable growth and environmental protection. As a PCAF participant, RCBC commits to disclose the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of its portfolio within three years from...
Digital Financial Services
Oct 05, 2021
In order to help Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) adapt to the new ways of conducting business in the better normal, Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) expands its digitized cash management solutions with complimentary e-services under a corporate promo called “Let’s Get Digital”. Under the Let’s Get Digital (LGD) promo, SMEs availing...
Digital Transformation
Sep 29, 2021
Micro and small enterprises are important contributors to job creation and global economic development, representing approximately 90% of business and more than 50% of employment worldwide. However, the pandemic necessitated a rapid shift to digital platforms and processes that have created new opportunities but also pushed many to the brink of...
Digital Financial Services
Sep 28, 2021
Washington D.C., September 28th, 2021 - Papersoft joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide through knowledge exchange and innovation. “When we started in 2012, we...
Fintech
Sep 22, 2021
JUMO is a South African mobile financial services platform for mobile network operators and banks. It facilitates digital financial services such as credit and savings in emerging markets by way of USSD short codes. JUMO has partnered with Absa Bank and Tigo in Tanzania to increase the availability of the existing short-term credit product Tigo...
Sep 21, 2021
Washington D.C., September 21st, 2021 - SIDBI joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide through knowledge exchange and innovation. “When we started in 2012, we were...
Digital Financial Services
Payments
Sep 14, 2021
Washington D.C., September 14th, 2021 - Visa Inc. joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide through knowledge exchange and innovation. “The SME Finance Forum is a...