-
Press release: Mastercard and Unilever Break Down Barriers to Growth for Micro Entrepreneurs with First-of-its-Kind Digital Lending Platform
“Financial inclusion is a key enabler of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals – lifting individuals out of poverty and supporting overall economic growth. By broadening our collaboration with Mastercard, working across sectors and including additional private and public partners, we are further expanding the positive impact of financial and economic inclusion” said Paul Polman, chief executive, Unilever.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
-
Investing in the energy transition
Technology to address the health and environmental issues associated with cooking with wood and charcoal has been developed in Cambodia, in efforts towards clean energy.
-
With 128.5m projected mobile subscriptions by 2025, Nigeria can achieve 80% financial inclusion
With unique mobile subscribers currently at 93.5 million, coupled with the projected growth, Nigeria is likely to hit its financial inclusion target for 2020.
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
-
Unitus Ventures Raises INR 100 Crore Towards First Close of Fund II
Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, Bill Gates, Hemendra Kothari and others invest again in India’s leading early-stage impact fund. Unitus Ventures to invest INR 5-15 crore each in ~30 startups in healthcare, education and inclusive fintech.
- Categories
- Investing
- Region
- South Asia
-
Omidyar Network Makes Six New Investments that Address the Needs of the “Next Half Billion”
“Omidyar Network is looking to support early-stage businesses with the potential of creating access to jobs, education, healthcare, transportation, financial services, and government services for the NHB,” said Roopa Kudva, Omidyar Network partner and managing director, India.
- Categories
- Investing
-
Viewpoint: Saving financial inclusion
I need no convincing that society requires people to be part of a formal financial system in order to thrive, nor that exclusion, whereby products and services are not available or are unaffordable, needs to be addressed. But it feels like financial inclusion has been engulfed by a focus on payments and transactions that misses its larger aim.
- Categories
- Finance
-
Viewpoint: Lessons from China’s mobile payments revolution
There is no disputing that China is ahead of the rest of the world in mobile payments. What insight does it offer U.S. bankers?
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Asia Pacific
-
One of the world’s biggest mobile money services wants to become a social network
Kenya mobile network operator Safaricom is launching a platform that will allow its customers to send and receive money while they chat. The move is set to reinforce the dominance of the world’s mobile money transfer service M-Pesa, advance its ambition to become an innovative global business, while also facilitating a further connection between tens of millions of subscribers.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
Subscribe to Our Weekly Newsletter, "NextBillion Notes"
Published each Wednesday, our e-newsletter features NextBillion's latest original articles, along with a selection of news, jobs, bizdev opportunities and events from our recent coverage — and regular conference ticket giveaways.
We respect your privacy. Your information is safe and will never be shared.
Don't miss out. Subscribe today.