Tag Archives: MFI

Caritas MFI Bank Launched

Thursday saw the official launch of the Caritas Microfinance (MFI) Bank in Nairobi. Caritas MFB,  which is owned by the Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi, was licensed by the Central Bank of Kenya in June 2015. It has since mobilized almost Kshs 400 million in deposits and advanced Kshs 250 million of loans.

Caritas plans to go from having two branches, now serving 10,000 customers, to five by year-end and increase its authorized agent network from 16 to 50. Already 70% transactions are done using mobile banking and through a partnership with Cooperative Bank, Caritas customers can use Coop Bank ATM’s and visa cards for purchases and this will enable another potential 100,000 “unbanked and under-banked” members of 200 self-help groups in Nairobi and Kiambu counties to access formal banking services.

MFI’s were excluded from the interest cap law of 2016. Other deposit-taking microfinance bank institutions include Choice, Daraja, Ideal (formerly REMU), Maisha, SMEP, Sumac, U&I, and Uwezo. Larger ones include KWFT and Faulu  as well as the Chase Bank-owned Rafiki MFI that was quite large and growing fast. It is independent of Chase Bank but a lot of its future growth is dependent on the outcome of the Chase receivership.

Microfinance Moment

A peek at the microfinance institutions sector (MFI) the cousin to the banking sector. During the Africa -Middle East Regional micro-credit summit held in Nairobi in April 2010, several participants also exhibited their MFI products and services

Services to MFI
– AMFI the association of microfinance institutions – Kenya offers capacity building, industry lobbying, performance monitoring and linkages to members. On a larger international scale, you have the UN! Doing this through the UN Advisors Group
– Bridging the branchless banking gap by CGAP
– Branchless banking equipment includes devices from ingenico and craft silicon and a micro-payment (mobile and online) from Impala to deliver low cost financial and transactional services

– MFI product advisory services from MicroSave as well as research and capacity building in micro saving and product delivery techniques – they have advised Equity Bank, Family bank and consulted on MPesa formulation.
– Hedging for MFI’s to eliminate currency risk from MFX Solutions
– MFI support from the Grameen Foundation has funded $16 million to MFI’s in Ethiopia, Kenya, Ghana and Nigeria and supported Applab partnership with Google) for information to rural Uganda farmers and Ghana to help new expectant and new-born mothers access medical care via mobile phone.
– Management services, and technical advisory to MFI’s from ACCION
– Private finance to MFI’s from Oiko Credit examples of which was Kshs. 71 million to Githunguri Dairy Farmers Society as well as to Uganda Women Finance Trusts, Nyeri Tea Growers, Daystar University (partially supported by Grameen). Also, another from Unitus which raises funds & grants, advises & arranges capital to grow innovative MFI’s 23 in 9 countries worldwide including Jamii Bora Kenya and SKS India.
– Loans in local currency in Africa from BlueOrchard to established MFI’s (minimum $1 million total assets, and at least 2 years old)
– MFI lending cost comparison (APR based) by the MFTransparency (report covering 90% of Kenyan MFI’s will be on their site in a few weeks)
– Software to administer MFI loans from Loan Performer a highly rated package.
– Recycle your cell phone into MFI loans with Chiapas

Unique products
– Matatu loan insurance accessible to members of the Jitegemea credit scheme
– Micro health (Bima Ya Jamii), home beautification and other loans from SMEP and their loans are repayable by MPesa
– Medical health (Faulu Afya) plans from Faulu Kenya which can provide inpatient cover up to 1 million (~$13,000) as well as from AAR Credit to pay for AAR Health packages in low installments
– Micro-insurance from Microensure. A similar product on livestock insurance was featured in the Economist recently
– Goat meat and poultry boiler accessible to Yehu MFI (operates at Kenya Coast
Livestock trading, micro health, business acquisition and other loans from KADET – The Kenya Agency for the Development of Enterprise & Technology, which is an affiliate of World Vision.
– The world famous Money-maker water pumps from Kickstart helping small-scale farmers out of poverty
– Venture capital (equity partnership loans up to 150 million or ~$2 million) as well as contract financing and industrial finance from Fusion Capital targeted at SME’s (not MFI’s)
– Various loans for women entrepreneurs from the PAWDEP – the Pamoja Women Development Program
Start-up loans from Elmseed ($2,000 first year, 10% simple interest) small loans, big futures, and Kenya government Women Enterprise Fund and Youth Enterprise Development Fund borrowing is secured by group collateral)

– Village savings & loan associations (VSLA) from CARE introduces more people in Africa to financial services than any other international organization

Local Banks
– Citi whose Citi Foundation has lent $80 million to MFI’s over the last 11 years in 88 countries in areas like colleges and neighborhood revitalization.
– Equity bank with Vijana business loans targeted at members of youth groups as well as fish loans uvuvi biashara to finance nets, cooling equipment, boats etc.
– KCB with bankika a business package targeted at young entrepreneurs

New Banks
– Jamii Bora Bank which bought a small bank in a reverse merger claims that with its over 200,000 members is the largest MFI in Kenya.
– KWFT – the Kenya Women Finance Trust Deposit that was licensed this week deposit-taking MFI by the Central Bank of Kenya offers startup funding and LPG (gas) among many other loans. KWFT which claims over 334,000 members slots in as a mid-tier bank