Liberia’s First Microfinance Institution Starts Operations with IFC’s Support

Liberia’s first commercial microfinance bank has received a banking license and is making loans to the public, boosting the country’s economy by providing finance to its smallest businesses, many of which have had no access to financial services.

IFC is a founding shareholder in AccessBank Liberia, which received a preliminary banking license from Liberia’s central bank.

IFC has supported AccessBank Liberia through every stage of its development. AccessBank Liberia looks forward to a continued partnership with IFC to increase financial services to Liberia’s smallest entrepreneurs and help support the country’s economic development.

AccessBank Liberia is the result of a two-year partnership between IFC and Liberia’s government. IFC initially worked with partners at Liberia’s Central Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and within the World Bank Group to build a regulatory framework based on global best practices in microfinance. IFC will continue to work with Liberia’s central bank to strengthen its capacity to supervise microfinance lending.

The successful launch of AccessBank Liberia demonstrates IFC’s commitment to Liberia and strong belief in the potential of the country’s private sector. IFC Africa strategy involve supporting Africa’s smallest businesses and entrepreneurs by helping to extend financial services to people and places where they are most needed.

AccessBank Liberia was established in partnership with Access Holding. IFC previously worked with Access Holding to establish successful microfinance banks in Madagascar and Tanzania. The European Investment Bank and the African Development Bank are also shareholders in the new institution.

World Bank Grants Nigeria $150 million Agricultural Loan

The Board of the World Bank last week in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, approved an International Development Association (IDA) credit of $150 million (N21 billion) for Commercial Agriculture Development Project (CADP) in Nigeria. The IDA credit, which is payable in 40 years with a moratorium of 10 years, has a service charge of 0.75 per cent and it is interest-free.

The CADP is designed to strengthen agricultural production systems as well as facilitate access to markets for targeted value chains among small and medium scale commercial farmers in the five participating states in the country. The beneficiary states are Cross River, Enugu, Lagos, Kaduna , and Kano.

The CADP, which will be implemented over a five-year period, starting from April 16, 2009 and closing December 31, 2014, has two components: Agricultural Production and Commercialisation and Rural Infrastructure.