The aim of the investment is to boost competitiveness in the small and medium enterprise finance market while also improving financial inclusion, creating jobs, and supporting the nation's climate goals. 

The grant will allow Opportunity International to provide micro and small business loans, digital tools and specialized technical training to women-led small- and micro businesses in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda.

The investment in the nation's recovering financial sector is part of a wider SME strategy, which aims to help spur a greater range of financial products and services such as psychometric scoring solutions and payment systems reforms.

The credit aims to strengthen financial sector stability, diversify financial solutions, and increase access to financial services in support of Nepal's green, resilient, and inclusive development.

This collaboration will enable the last-mile consumers in Nepal to reap the benefits of an open interoperable payments system driving immediate payment transfers between bank accounts and merchant payments in real-time.

Opportunity International and Oikocredit will mobilize the funds over the next three years with an initial, near-term focus on Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, and Uganda.

The main objectives of the assignment were to design agency banking business model, map potential agents’ locations throughout the country, and provide technical assistance for branding, advertising, consumer education and industry sensitization on agency banking. 

Applicants can be based anywhere globally, however solutions must focus on youth, women, returning migrants or MSMES in Ashanti and Western regions of Ghana.

At a time when the world economy was hard hit by the ongoing pandemic, improvement in Nepal’s remittances inflow has made it easier for the government to operate.

AFC started implementing three new projects in fall this year that aim to promote financial sector soundness and access to financial services by individuals.