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Scaling the Last-Mile Distribution Industry With Data-Driven Lending
Low-income consumers in emerging markets rely heavily on last-mile distributors (LMDs) for access to life-changing products, from smartphones to solar home systems. But as Erin Junio at Angaza explains, despite the critical role they play in the sale and distribution of these products, LMDs struggle to access the funding they need to scale. She explores the funding challenges these businesses face — and how data-driven innovations in lending are emerging to close this financing gap.
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Nigeria’s Mono Raises Millions to Power the Internet Economy in Africa
Three months later, the startup has a different mission: to power the internet economy in Africa. It has closed $2 million in seed investment toward that goal.
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Impact Investing in Financial Inclusion in Southeast Asia: Four Key Considerations for Investors and Enterprises
Southeast Asian nations are seeing movement toward greater financial inclusion, but this growth, fueled mostly by digital innovations, is not enough to meet customer needs, say Komal Sahu and Danielle Todesco of AVPN. They share four key considerations that investors and enterprises can take into account to promote interoperability, financial literacy and product accessibility while boosting financial access in the region.
- Categories
- Finance, Investing, Social Enterprise
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Analysis: IEA Energy Roadmap: Stop New Fossil Fuels Investments
Since it was first set up in the wake of the 1973 oil crisis, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has been a hugely influential player in world energy politics.
- Region
- Global
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CDC Group Commits USD $100 Million to African Farmers
United Kingdom government-owned development finance institution CDC Group will be providing a debt commitment of USD 100 million to agricultural conglomerate Export Trading Group.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Investing
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- ESG, impact investing
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E-Commerce Enabler Great Deals Closes $30 Million Series B Funding to Build Automated Fulfilment Centre in Philippines
Great Deals offers digital marketing, content creation, storefront management, web design, business analytics and customer service
- Categories
- Investing, Technology
- Region
- South Asia
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African Guarantee Fund Secures $20 Million Capital Increase for Green SME Financing
African Guarantee Fund has today received a capital increase of USD 20 million from the Danish Investment Fund.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Investing
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- impact investing
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Beyond Risk: How Addressing Transaction Costs Can Boost Lending to Agricultural SMEs in Africa
Providing loans to agricultural enterprises in East Africa can be a complicated task, with challenges ranging from higher origination costs to arduous journeys to conduct due diligence. As Brian Milder of Aceli Africa explains, that makes many lenders reluctant to serve these businesses — and this lack of capital is stunting the growth of local agri-SMEs. In this third article in a four-part series, he explores the barriers to financing in the industry – particularly the under-recognized role of high transaction costs in limiting capital flows – and shares how Aceli is addressing them.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Investing
- Tags
- impact investing, lending
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