Absa Bank Kenya’s Post

Today our Road to Finance programme launches in South Africa! Road to Finance supports women to build their skills and confidence in order to successfully secure finance, grow their businesses and achieve their potential. In South Africa, women entrepreneurs face significant challenges in accessing finance. Although the country ranks highly in Africa for its support of women entrepreneurs, there remains a substantial gender funding gap. Women own approximately 21.9% of businesses, yet South Africa’s ranking for women’s access to business finance has dropped to 40th out of 65 countries, according to the Mastercard Index of Women Entrepreneurs. This, along with persistent gender stereotypes, can prevent women from accessing the finance they need to support and grow their business. Thanks to DHL Express and the GIBS Business School (Gordon Institute of Business Science) Entrepreneurship Development Academy for making this possible. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/et2DEE4w

Exciting news! Our Women Banking Department has partnered with CBI to launch the Women's Economic Empowerment in Kenya program, specifically designed to help women entrepreneurs in the Export Business conquer international markets. Applications are open! The CBI Women’s Economic Empowerment Program is a chance for said She-preneurs to level up their Export biasharas!

In Cambodia, 61% of businesses are owned by women. However, women entrepreneurs often face significant challenges on their business journeys, including limited financial literacy, difficulties in accessing funding, barriers to digitalization, restricted professional networks, and personal development obstacles. Additionally, family obligations and societal stereotypes can hinder their progress. The CNai Acceleration Program aims to support Small but Growing Businesses (#SBGs) in #Cambodia by enhancing their investment readiness and connecting them with potential investors through a Gender Lens Investment approach. Supported by #Australia’s #CAPRED program, CNai (Cohort 2) is a 10-month initiative that assists 20 small and growing businesses in Cambodia. The program focuses on improving their investment readiness, facilitating connections with investors, and promoting the integration of gender-lens investing principles into their practices. Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade រាជរដ្ឋាភិបាលកម្ពុជា / Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC)

When women win, Africa wins! - https://lnkd.in/g9uB-MkJ - By Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade Africa's women entrepreneurs face a significant challenge: a staggering US$42 billion financing gap, despite their substantial contributions to our economies. In Nigeria, about 41 percent of businesses are led by women, and nearly 23 million women run micro-businesses. However, they receive only 10 percent of commercial loans, a

Excited to share this important initiative by the Investment Climate Reform Facility focusing on Women's Economic Empowerment. The series will offer valuable insights on how we can break down barriers and create more inclusive environments for women entrepreneurs. #WomensEconomicEmpowerment #InclusiveBusiness #GenderEquality #WomenInBusiness

Last week, the #ConsumerCentriX team, including Anna Gincherman, István Szepesy, and David Taylor, along with our project consortium partner IPC represented by Azamat Baltabaev, and EBRD’s regional gender lead Anar Nurbayeva, held a series of sessions with The Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan for Regulation and Development of Financial Market, represented by Vice-Chairman Mariya Khajieva. These discussions were part of the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Code (WE Finance Code) implementation project in Central Asia and Mongolia. It was clearly established that the WE Finance Code could further amplify ongoing government and financial sector efforts to support over 1 million women entrepreneurs in Kazakhstan by: • Strengthening the sustainability/ESG agenda, particularly the social component; • Developing a robust gender data platform to enable more evidence-based policymaking and WSME solution design; • Providing peer learning and exchange opportunities with regulators and financial service providers from the 30+ countries where the code is currently being implemented.

🚨SA government x Women entrepreneurs The newly elected South African government has outlined several plans to support women entrepreneurs. These plans include increasing funding and financial support through grants and loans tailored for women-owned businesses. They aim to expand training and development programs to enhance the skills and capabilities of women entrepreneurs. Additionally, they plan to improve access to both local and international markets by creating more opportunities and reducing barriers. Simplifying regulatory processes to make it easier for women to start and run businesses is also a priority. The government intends to bolster mentorship and networking programs to connect women entrepreneurs with experienced mentors and peers. There will be a continued focus on sector-specific support, particularly in high-growth areas like technology and agriculture. Finally, the government plans to ensure that public procurement policies favor women-owned businesses, increasing their participation in government contracts. #ScaleUpWomenSummit

🎙️ This week on Womanity – Women in Unity,Dr Amaleya Goneos-Malka talks to Dr Lwanga Elizabeth Nanziri, Director of the Africa Centre for Development Finance at Stellenbosch Business School, Stellenbosch University🌍 Dr. Nanziri, a renowned economist 🎓, holds a doctorate from the School of Economics at the University of Cape Town and advanced degrees in Economic Policy and Planning from Makerere University in Uganda. 🇺🇬 ✨ Dr. Nanziri unpacks the critical role of development finance in addressing Africa’s socio-economic challenges. Unlike traditional finance, development finance focuses on funding high-risk, low-revenue projects—such as infrastructure 🏥🏫🛣️, small businesses, and agribusiness 🌱. She explains how development finance complements government and private sector efforts by reducing investment risks in projects that improve the quality of life in African communities. One of the projects she contributed to at The World Bank 🌐 was the Think Africa Partnership, which aims to ensure Africa does not lag behind. 🚀 💡 We explore innovative financing models emerging across Africa, like project finance frameworks that lower barriers to entry for long-term initiatives. Dr. Nanziri also highlights the work of the Africa Centre for Development Finance, including capacity-building programs to equip policy advisors and leaders with tools to drive sustainable growth across the region. 💪 The conversation delves into women’s economic empowerment, a recurring theme in development finance. Dr. Nanziri emphasizes the economic consequences of unequal access to financial resources for women and provides insights into how tailored development finance initiatives can break down barriers, foster entrepreneurship, and promote gender equality. 🌟 🌟 Dr. Nanziri also shares her personal journey and the principles that have guided her success: setting new targets 🎯, applying discipline 🕰️, staying humble 🤲, and always being willing to learn 📚. 📻 Tune in to this inspiring episode for more insights! 💬✨

In many African countries, systemic barriers limit women’s economic participation—from restricted access to credit to entrenched social norms. Empowering women isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s essential for driving sustainable economic growth. But access to financial services alone isn’t enough, we need services that address women’s unique challenges—such as flexible repayment terms, lower collateral requirements, and legal reforms that allow them to control financial resources. Read the full opinion article by Tebogo Seima, MBA 2026 student at London Business School on how dismantling these barriers can transform the future for women across Africa: https://shorturl.at/E3uSB #EmpoweringWomen #FinancialInclusion #GenderEquality #SustainableGrowth #Africa #WheelerInstitute