Stanbic Bank Zambia, local branch of South Africa’s Standard Bank, secured a credit line worth $15 million from World Bank’s International Finance Corporation IFC to support SMEs growth.
The bank says at least 25 percent of the loan is dedicated to women-led businesses. “By 2022, we plan to quadruple the number of women-owned SME borrowers from 50 to about 200, representing an outstanding portfolio of 80 million Zambian kwacha, up from 16 million Zambian kwacha,” said Leina Gabaraane (photo), MD of Stanbic Bank Zambia.
Women-owned SMEs face financial deficit estimated at $474 million, according to a March 2018 IFC study themed “Republic of Zambia: systematic Country Diagnostic.”
This IFC support is the second secured by the Zambian bank after the $11 million subordinated loan in 2006.
Chamberline Moko
Kenya shipped its first mango consignment to the UK on December 20 The move is part of a pilo...
Nomba brings Apple Pay to 300k Nigerian shops. Following Paystack, this "second row" move enables ...
Kenya’s CMA licensed Safaricom and Airtel Money as Intermediary Service Platform Providers (ISPPs)...
In Africa, the transformation of food systems has become an urgent issue in the face of rapid popula...
The BCID-AES launches with 500B CFA to fund Sahel infrastructure, asserting sovereignty from the B...
Nigeria now has ~20,000 EVs on the road. While under 1% of the total fleet, adoption is surging in urban areas like Lagos and Abuja. SAGLEV’s Imota...
The Gates Foundation and ADQ launched a four-year initiative to transform education in sub-Saharan Africa using AI and EdTech, with ADQ contributing up...
Nice Deer has partnered with Telecom Egypt to manage healthcare services for over 28,000 employees via its digital insurance platform. The announcement...
Ghana plans to introduce a fully online visa application system in early 2026 The reform aims to speed up processing and simplify entry...
Afrochella, now known as AfroFuture, is a cultural event held annually in Ghana, mainly in Accra, around the Christmas and end-of-year period. Launched in...
Algiers is a coastal capital of around four million inhabitants, located in north-central Algeria. Its urban structure, heritage, and social practices...