
<p><strong>Kigali, Rwanda, 25 November 2019 –</strong> African Development Bank President Akinwumi Adesina has called for greater access to finance for African women when he addressed the inaugural session of the Global Gender Summit.</p>



<p>&#8220;When women borrow, they
always repay. And 90% of them repay their loans without the least problem. So,
where is the risk? The problem is prejudice and the banks&#8217; lack of flexibility.
We must leave this behind to allow women access to financing,&#8221; President
Adesina urged.</p>



<p>The session headed &#8220;<strong>Unlocking women&#8217;s access
to finance in Africa</strong>&#8221; had a panel of high-level speakers,
including Salimata Diop Dieng, the Senegalese Minister of Women, Family and
Gender; Andrew Temu, President of the African Guarantee Fund; Kennedy Uzoka,
President and CEO of United Bank of Africa (UBA); Joséphine Anan-Ankomah, CEO
of Ecobank Group; and Christine Ngiriye, an entrepreneur.</p>



<p>Salimata Diop Deng said,
&#8220;It is important that financial institutions support initiatives from
women. They have the market gardens and produce to process. They create
start-ups in innovative areas. But they lack resources and collateral, and the
procedures for accessing loans are complicated. These women have relatively
moderate finance needs, just enough to create projects and jobs. They need
support from the private sector and the banks to help them weave their way into
the economy.&#8221;</p>



<p>Andrew Temu advocated
&#8220;holding discussions with countries to improve the business environment.
What is especially needed is legislation that reassures the banks. There are a
number of actors, banks, investors, entrepreneurs and clients operating within
the economic market. Everyone needs to be in communication to address the
risks.&#8221;</p>



<p>For Anan-Ankomah, ECOBANK is
already making big strides to gender parity. The pan-African bank has signed up
to the African Union gender parity principle of 50/50. “Currently we are at 46%
and out of that, 30% of those women are in senior management positions,” she
said.</p>



<p>Ngiriye said that she had seen
little change in nearly 30 years: &#8220;The problem that comes up again and
again is that of collateral.”</p>



<p>According to Adesina the
financial sector had a responsibility to the women of Africa. And he made an
announcement: &#8220;From now on, we shall be grading every African financial
institution for how well it helps women. Every financial ecosystem must evolve
to support women. And we are going to put pressure on the guarantee
banks.&#8221;</p>



<p>The African Development Bank and the government of Rwanda are hosting the Global Gender Summit from 25 to 27 November in Kigali. The Summit is being organised by the Multilateral Development Banks’ (MDBs) Working Group on gender for the first time in Africa.</p>



<p><em>Content provided by African Development Bank </em></p>


gettyimages-870006586-594×594 (1)

Global Gender Summit 2019: “Put prejudice behind us and give women access to finance” says Akinwumi Adesina

<div style="max-width: 700px;"></div>
<p><script src="https://players.brightcove.net/1571595826001/default_default/index.min.js"></script></p>
<p>The Group Managing Director and CEO of United Bank of Africa (UBA), Kennedy Uzoka says financial inclusion goes beyond owning a mobile phone. Uzoka was highlighting ways to get more African women into the financial system on the sidelines of the Global Gender Summit in Rwanda. He joins CNBC Africa’s Kenneth Igbomor for more.</p>


Global Gender Summit: UBA’s Kennedy Uzoka on how to expand financial inclusion for African women

<div style="max-width: 700px;"><video-js data-account="1571595826001" data-player="default" data-embed="default" controls="" data-video-id="6089347895001" data-playlist-id="" data-application-id="" class="vjs-fluid"></video-js></div>
<p><script src="https://players.brightcove.net/1571595826001/default_default/index.min.js"></script></p>
<p>Jan Pilbauer, Chief Payments and Innovation Officer at BankservAfrica joins CNBC Africa for more on payment innovations and financial services infrastructure in Africa.</p>


BankservAfrica’s Jan Pilbauer on how to create financial inclusion in Africa

<div style="max-width: 700px;"><video-js data-account="1571595826001" data-player="default" data-embed="default" controls="" data-video-id="6087993127001" data-playlist-id="" data-application-id="" class="vjs-fluid"></video-js></div>
<p><script src="https://players.brightcove.net/1571595826001/default_default/index.min.js"></script></p>
<p>Yesterday during the Tanzania Banker&#8217;s Association&#8217;s Conference on Financial Inclusion, a new code of conduct for the country&#8217;s banking sector was launched. This comes at a time when the regulators are cracking down on banks to establish their primary data centres in the country. CEO of CRDB Bank and Chairman of the Tanzania Banking Association, Abdulmajid Nsekela joins CNBC Africa for more.</p>


CEO of TBA breaks down banking sector’s new code of conduct

<div style="max-width: 700px;"><video-js data-account="1571595826001" data-player="default" data-embed="default" controls="" data-video-id="6087693718001" data-playlist-id="" data-application-id="" class="vjs-fluid"></video-js></div>
<p><script src="https://players.brightcove.net/1571595826001/default_default/index.min.js"></script></p>
<p>What is the true cost implication of financial inclusion for Nigeria? Stanbic Capital&#8217;s Chief Executive, Funsho Akere says the future of Nigeria&#8217;s unbanked population lies in collaborations between Fintechs and banks. He joins CNBC Africa&#8217;s Christy Cole for more.</p>


Funsho Akere on how banks & fintechs can collaborate to cover Nigeria’s unbanked

<div style="max-width: 700px;"><video-js data-account="1571595826001" data-player="default" data-embed="default" controls="" data-video-id="6087417594001" data-playlist-id="" data-application-id="" class="vjs-fluid"></video-js></div>
<p><script src="https://players.brightcove.net/1571595826001/default_default/index.min.js"></script></p>
<p>Chief Executive of Stanbic IBTC Bank, Demola Sogunle, says financial inclusion in Nigeria is a national agenda. At the bank&#8217;s ongoing West Africa Investor&#8217;s conference in Lagos, he spoke to CNBC Africa&#8217;s Christy Cole for more.</p>


Demola Sogunle of Stanbic IBTC Bank on deepening financial inclusion in Nigeria

<div style="max-width: 700px;"><video-js data-account="1571595826001" data-player="default" data-embed="default" controls="" data-video-id="6086041071001" data-playlist-id="" data-application-id="" class="vjs-fluid"></video-js></div>
<p><script src="https://players.brightcove.net/1571595826001/default_default/index.min.js"></script></p>
<p>A recent World Bank report showed that the youth and women are the most financially excluded groups in Africa. On how to overcome some of the challenges faced by young people in accessing financial services, Managing Partner WS Technology, Martin Warioba joins CNBC Africa&#8217;s Arnold Kwizera for more.</p>


Is Africa doing enough to improve financial inclusion for women and youth?

<div style="max-width: 700px;"><video-js data-account="1571595826001" data-player="default" data-embed="default" controls="" data-video-id="6085323526001" data-playlist-id="" data-application-id="" class="vjs-fluid"></video-js></div>
<p><script src="https://players.brightcove.net/1571595826001/default_default/index.min.js"></script></p>
<p>Technological disruptions have played a key role in bridging the financial inclusion gap in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and the future seems ever brighter for the industry. On the future of the industry, Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK), Sheila M&#8217;mbijjewe joins CNBC Africa&#8217;s Arnold Kwizera for more.</p>


What the future of banking holds for women on financial inclusion

<div style="max-width: 700px;"><video-js data-account="1571595826001" data-player="default" data-embed="default" controls="" data-video-id="6083752954001" data-playlist-id="" data-application-id="" class="vjs-fluid"></video-js></div>
<p><script src="https://players.brightcove.net/1571595826001/default_default/index.min.js"></script></p>
<p>Research out of Viffa Consult in Nairobi has revealed that women entrepreneurs who lack formal education tend depend more on mobile credit, investment clubs, friends and relatives for funding as opposed to bank loans and personal savings which are more widely used by their educated counterparts, but with government and the banking sector focusing on more financial inclusion, what can be done to tip the scale? Victor Otieno, MD of Viffa Consult joins CNBC Africa for more.</p>


The role of formal education in boosting women’s  access to finance

<div style="max-width: 700px;"><video-js data-account="1571595826001" data-player="default" data-embed="default" controls="" data-video-id="6075612379001" data-playlist-id="" data-application-id="" class="vjs-fluid"></video-js></div>
<p><script src="https://players.brightcove.net/1571595826001/default_default/index.min.js"></script></p>
<p>Despite significant economic growth in Africa, there’s minimal improvement of lives primarily because the continent lags behind in terms of financial inclusion. To discuss how smarter use of data can help drive up financial inclusion, Hennie Bester, Lead at the Insight2Impact joins CNBC Africa for more.</p>


How smarter use of data can improve financial inclusion

<div style="display: block; position: relative; max-width: 730px;">
<div style="padding-top: 56.25%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; top: 0px; bottom: 0px; right: 0px; left: 0px;" src="//players.brightcove.net/1571595826001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6060802699001" allowfullscreen="" border=0 frameborder=0></iframe></div>
</div>
<p>Africa’s Fintech industry has been growing steadily as evidenced by huge funding which it has been attracting in the recent years. Otto Williams, Head of Partnerships, Fintech and Ventures at Visa joins CNBC Africa for more.</p>


How the Fintech industry is boosting financial inclusion in Africa

<div style="display: block; position: relative; max-width: 730px;">
<div style="padding-top: 56.25%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; top: 0px; bottom: 0px; right: 0px; left: 0px;" src="//players.brightcove.net/1571595826001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6059728678001" allowfullscreen="" border=0 frameborder=0></iframe></div>
</div>
<p>Dominique Migisha, Special advisor in charge of digital to the Presidency of the Democratic Republic of Congo says financial Inclusion is a serious challenge in the country as only 5 million of the 85 million persons are banked. He discussed this and more with CNBC Africa’s Christy Cole on the side-lines of First Bank of Nigeria&#8217;s joint seminar for financial and telecom regulators in Sub-Saharan Africa.</p>


Improving Financial Inclusion in DRC

<div style="display: block; position: relative; max-width: 730px;">
<div style="padding-top: 56.25%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; top: 0px; bottom: 0px; right: 0px; left: 0px;" src="//players.brightcove.net/1571595826001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6059283379001" allowfullscreen="" border=0 frameborder=0></iframe></div>
</div>
<p>On the side-lines of First Bank of Nigeria&#8217;s (FBN) joint seminar for financial and telecom regulators in Sub-Saharan Africa. Bashirat Odunewu, Group Executive for the International Banking Group at First Bank joined CNBC Africa&#8217;s Christy Cole for more.</p>


First Bank’s Bashirat Odunewu on closing the financial inclusion gap

<div style="display: block; position: relative; max-width: 730px;">
<div style="padding-top: 56.25%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; top: 0px; bottom: 0px; right: 0px; left: 0px;" src="//players.brightcove.net/1571595826001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6058260147001" allowfullscreen="" border=0 frameborder=0></iframe></div>
</div>
<p>First Bank of Nigeria (FBN) met with banking and telecom regulators from sub-Saharan to explore opportunities for collaboration and ways to drive Financial Inclusion in Africa. The bank’s MD and CEO, Adesola Adeduntan joins CNBC Africa for more.</p>


Improving payment systems in Africa

<div style="display: block; position: relative; max-width: 730px;">
<div style="padding-top: 56.25%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; top: 0px; bottom: 0px; right: 0px; left: 0px;" src="//players.brightcove.net/1571595826001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6040179719001" allowfullscreen="" border=0 frameborder=0></iframe></div>
</div>
<p>KCB reported an 11 per cent rise in profit for the first quarter. CNBC Africa&#8217;s Makeda Mahadeo spoke to the company&#8217;s Head of Corporate Judith SidiOdhiambo, on the side-lines of the Africa Shared Value Summit about what they attribute their success to and how they&#8217;re increasing financial inclusion in the region.</p>


KCB’s digital strategy explained

<div style="display: block; position: relative; max-width: 730px;">
<div style="padding-top: 56.25%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; top: 0px; bottom: 0px; right: 0px; left: 0px;" src="//players.brightcove.net/1571595826001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6003880763001" allowfullscreen="" border=0 frameborder=0></iframe></div>
</div>
<p>With the support of AGRA and MasterCard Foundation an online platform, e-Hakiki that enables farmers to verify authenticity of seeds being purchased was created; the platform which currently is accessed by 35,000 farmer’s aims to boost annual yields as well as create financial inclusion in the agriculture sector in Tanzania. Fatma Fernandes, Director of Business at Quincewood Group Limited joins CNBC Africa for more.</p>


This digital platform aims to boost crop yields in Tanzania

<div style="display: block; position: relative; max-width: 730px;">
<div style="padding-top: 56.25%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; top: 0px; bottom: 0px; right: 0px; left: 0px;" src="//players.brightcove.net/1571595826001/default_default/index.html?videoId=5989198884001" allowfullscreen="" border=0 frameborder=0></iframe></div>
</div>
<p>In its recently revised National Financial Inclusion strategy, the Central Bank of Nigeria says its major focus is to reduce the proportion of adult Nigerians that are financially excluded to 20 per cent by 2020 from it baseline figure of 46.3 per cent in 2010.  Chidinma Lawanson, Financial Services Consultant at IFC joins CNBC Africa to discuss how this revised strategy is likely to impact Nigeria’s financial inclusion drive.</p>


financial inclusion

Global Gender Summit 2019: “Put prejudice behind us and give women access to finance” says Akinwumi Adesina

Global Gender Summit: UBA’s Kennedy Uzoka on how to expand financial inclusion for African women

BankservAfrica’s Jan Pilbauer on how to create financial inclusion in Africa

CEO of TBA breaks down banking sector’s new code of conduct

Funsho Akere on how banks & fintechs can collaborate to cover Nigeria’s unbanked

Demola Sogunle of Stanbic IBTC Bank on deepening financial inclusion in Nigeria

Is Africa doing enough to improve financial inclusion for women and youth?

What the future of banking holds for women on financial inclusion

The role of formal education in boosting women’s access to finance

How smarter use of data can improve financial inclusion

How the Fintech industry is boosting financial inclusion in Africa

Improving Financial Inclusion in DRC

First Bank’s Bashirat Odunewu on closing the financial inclusion gap

Improving payment systems in Africa

KCB’s digital strategy explained

This digital platform aims to boost crop yields in Tanzania

Assessing Nigeria’s financial inclusion strategy

News Tips

Advertise With Us

financial inclusion

Global Gender Summit 2019: “Put prejudice behind us and give women access to finance” says Akinwumi Adesina

Global Gender Summit: UBA’s Kennedy Uzoka on how to expand financial inclusion for African women

BankservAfrica’s Jan Pilbauer on how to create financial inclusion in Africa

CEO of TBA breaks down banking sector’s new code of conduct

Funsho Akere on how banks & fintechs can collaborate to cover Nigeria’s unbanked

Demola Sogunle of Stanbic IBTC Bank on deepening financial inclusion in Nigeria

Is Africa doing enough to improve financial inclusion for women and youth?

What the future of banking holds for women on financial inclusion

The role of formal education in boosting women’s access to finance

How smarter use of data can improve financial inclusion

How the Fintech industry is boosting financial inclusion in Africa

Improving Financial Inclusion in DRC

First Bank’s Bashirat Odunewu on closing the financial inclusion gap

Improving payment systems in Africa

KCB’s digital strategy explained

This digital platform aims to boost crop yields in Tanzania

Assessing Nigeria’s financial inclusion strategy

News Tips

Advertise With Us

Newsletters