NextBillion - A WDI Publication

Greenhushing on the Rise as Backlash Against ESG Grows: ‘It’s Like an Unhealthy Marriage’

Environmental, social and governance criteria are far from dead, but US Republicans’ reaction and fears of greenwashing accusations have led funds to watch their language.

Source

Financial News (link opens in a new window)

Categories

Environment, Investing

Region

North America

Tags

climate change, ESG, scale

Float, a South African Buy-Now-Pay-Later Startup, Secures $11 million to Launch its Card-Linked Installment Platform

Float encourages responsible credit card usage and, at the same time, helps merchants to grow their sales.

Source

Fintech Magazine Africa (link opens in a new window)

Categories

Finance

Region

Sub-Saharan Africa

Tags

business development, financial inclusion, lending, partnerships, scale, startups

Viewpoint: The AfDB’s $61 Billion Initiative Will Transform Agriculture but for Whom?

The one-size-fits-all Dakar II plan risks sacrificing biodiversity and smallholders for the sake of private interests. There is an alternative.

Source

African Arguments (link opens in a new window)

Categories

Agriculture, Environment

Region

Sub-Saharan Africa

Tags

development finance, food security, scale, smallholder farmers

Press Release: Sarah Malm Announced as New Executive Director of GOGLA, the Global Association for the Off-Grid Solar Energy Industry

GOGLA represents companies, investors, and development actors working to build sustainable markets for off-grid solar technologies.

Source

GOGLA (link opens in a new window)

Region

Sub-Saharan Africa

Tags

energy access, global development, off-grid energy, renewable energy, rural development, scale, SDGs, solar

Analysis: Trust and Scale in Global Social Enterprise Law

Social enterprise law around the world faces a difficult trade-off between cultivating public trust and promoting scale. The sector will benefit by getting clearer on the available options.

Source

Stanford Social Innovation Review (link opens in a new window)

Categories

Investing

Region

Global

Tags

public policy, regulations, scale

Press Release: Visa and the GSMA Mobile for Development Foundation Launch Digital Finance for All Initiative

This five-year initiative aims to advance digital financial inclusion for 20 million individuals, including women, small holder farmers (SHF), and nano, micro and small enterprise (NMSE) owners across low- and middle-income countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Source

Business Wire (link opens in a new window)

Categories

Finance, Telecommunications

Region

Global

Tags

digital finance, digital payments, financial inclusion, mobile finance, MSMEs, scale

Press Release: D.light and Chapel Hill Denham Close $7.4 Million in Securitized Financing to Fund Off-Grid Solar Expansion in Nigeria

A new financing facility provided by the Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund (NIDF) will open up access to affordable clean energy in Nigeria.

Source

Zawya (link opens in a new window)

Categories

Energy, Technology

Region

Sub-Saharan Africa

Tags

infrastructure, off-grid energy, renewable energy, scale, sustainable business

Africa’s Ed-Tech Sector Has Unlimited Potential, but Lack of Funding Holds It Back

Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest rates of education exclusion of the six developing world regions, according to the World Bank.

Source

Disrupt Africa (link opens in a new window)

Categories

Education, Investing, Technology

Region

Sub-Saharan Africa

Tags

edtech, scale, venture capital, youth