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COP30: Canada Backs IFAD Investment in Efforts to Boost Funding for Climate Adaptation
The contribution to IFAD was announced at the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), in Belem, Brazil, by the Honourable Julie Dabrusin, Canada’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Environment, Finance
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Entrepreneur-Friendly Inclusive Finance: A Survey of Brazilian MSMEs Highlights Key Lessons for Lenders
In Brazil, impact-focused lenders like Estímulo are successfully reaching small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) with inclusive lending approaches. But as Carla Grados-Villamar at 60 Decibels and Lucas Conrado at Estímulo explain, inclusive finance is not just about disbursing loans — it’s about understanding entrepreneurs’ realities and adapting accordingly. They share findings from 60 Decibels' interviews with over 400 Estímulo loan applicants, highlighting lessons lenders can use to improve business outcomes for borrowers, and prepare non-borrowers for future credit opportunities. (In celebration of our 20th anniversary, NextBillion is highlighting key articles from our decades of coverage of different sectors on our homepage below, with a current focus on education.)
- Categories
- Finance
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Discovery Bank Becomes First Major South African Bank to Offer Crypto Trading
Discovery Bank has partnered with crypto exchange Luno to integrate crypto asset trading directly into the bank’s mobile application.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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RADIANT YACU of Rwanda Wins European Microfinance Award 2025
"RADIANT YACU’s model bundles affordable hospital cash and funeral cover with microfinance services, leveraging group structures to make enrolment simple and premiums sustainable."
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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IFC Commits $6 Million to First Circle Capital to Back Early-Stage Fintech Growth in Africa
"Founded and managed by a female-led executive team, First Circle operates from offices in Kampala (Uganda) and Casablanca (Morocco) and is registered as a limited partnership in Delaware."
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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BII and BlueOrchard Launch $250 Million Climate Fund for Insurers
The fund will primarily provide senior loans to banks, microfinance providers and other intermediaries offering climate finance to small and medium-sized enterprises in emerging markets.
- Categories
- Environment, Finance
- Region
- Global
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GAIA Climate Loan Fund Seals $600 Million First Close, Driving Adaptation in Emerging Markets
The GAIA facility is blazing a new trail in climate finance by extending long-term loans to public sector borrowers in almost two-dozen emerging and developing markets.
- Categories
- Environment, Finance
- Region
- Global
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Top-Down vs. Bottom-Up: Bhutan and Fiji’s Contrasting Paths to Digital Transformation Reveal the Pros and Cons of Government and Market-Driven Approaches
The pursuit of digital competitiveness — the capacity and readiness to adopt digital technologies — has led to remarkable success stories in emerging markets, transforming public infrastructure and enhancing the delivery of social and financial services. But as Neeraj Lekhwar and Garima Singh at FinValue Advisors explain, this path remains challenging for many nations — particularly small countries. They share insights from a FinValue study involving Bhutan and Fiji: two countries with comparable sizes and socioeconomic structures that have approached their digital transformation very differently. The policy paths they've taken present contrasting examples of digital adoption strategies that provide valuable lessons for other small markets.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
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