Africa

70% Adult population financially excluded

82,184 37% Female borrowers The majority of female borrowers are the primary income-earners in their families. % #

1,230,827 Total FINCA clients In Africa, savers outnumber borrowers by more than 4 to 1. FINCA subsidiaries in this region use non-traditional channels, such as mobile banking and rural agents, to mobilize small deposits in remote areas.

21,580 48% Borrowers in rural areas Rural outreach is particularly striking in Tanzania and Uganda, where it reaches 75%. % #

223,843 Total FINCA borrowers

85% Adult population financially excluded The rate of financial exclusion is higher than the regional average (70%).

27,588 43% Female borrowers % #

366,637 Total FINCA clients FINCA DRC has more than 8 times as many savers as borrowers.

12,800 20% Borrowers in rural areas Efforts are underway to reach more rural areas, but they are hindered by instability and violence in the countryside. % #

64,000 Total FINCA borrowers

77% Adult population financially excluded

39,144 39% Female borrowers % #

171,978 Total FINCA clients

56,331 56% Borrowers in rural areas % #

100,591 Total FINCA borrowers

61% Adult population financially excluded More than half of the adult population in Nigeria is financially excluded.

1,369 36% Female borrowers % #

7,076 Total FINCA clients

3,773 Total FINCA borrowers

79% Adult population financially excluded

3,264 11% Female borrowers % #

549,691 Total FINCA clients

22,503 75% Borrowers in rural areas % #

30,004 Total FINCA borrowers

67% Adult population financially excluded

7,669 39% Female borrowers % #

114,265 Total FINCA clients

14,822 75% Borrowers in rural areas % #

19,762 Total FINCA borrowers

64% Adult population financially excluded The level of financial inclusion in Zambia is higher than in Africa overall, but is still low, at 31%.

3,150 55% Female borrowers % #

21,180 Total FINCA clients

0 0% Borrowers in rural areas FINCA aims to increase its rural outreach through mobile and agency banking. % #

5,713 Total FINCA borrowers

View All Financial Inclusion Data

Among the FINCA regions, Africa has the second highest rate of financial exclusion. FINCA is working hard to close that gap using technology to reach severely under-banked people. Mobile and agency banking channels are helping us overcome the lack of infrastructure that isolates poor and rural communities. The goal is not only to reach people with a full range of services, including savings, credit and insurance.

Living Standards

Africa:
Quality of Life

111,936 51% Client homes without water % #

90,044 41% Client homes without electricity % #

141,902 64% Client homes without access to Internet % #

83,461 38% Clients who don’t own their home The rate of clients who don't own their own home is more than twice the global average (17%). % #

96,522 44% Head of household with primary education or less % #

29,440 46% Client homes without water The DRC, Africa’s most “water-rich” country, is facing an acute water supply crisis with considerable social and public health consequences. Nearly half (46%) of FINCA’s borrowers lack access to safe drinking water. % #

10,240 16% Client homes without electricity % #

30,720 48% Client homes without access to Internet % #

33,280 52% Clients who don’t own their home % #

6,941 11% Head of household with primary education or less Among FINCA borrowers, 89% live in a household headed by someone with greater than primary education. % #

53,313 53% Client homes without water % #

53,313 53% Client homes without electricity More clients lack electricity in Malawi than anywhere else in the region. % #

67,396 67% Client homes without access to Internet High taxes and poor infrastructure, among other obstacles, make access to the Internet prohibitively costly, % #

31,183 31% Clients who don’t own their home % #

52,810 53% Head of household with primary education or less % #

No data has been collected yet for this indicator in Nigeria.

The support of FINCA donors is vital to our efforts to understand our clients and better serve them. Please Donate to support this important work.

16,502 55% Client homes without water % #

15,002 50% Client homes without electricity % #

24,003 80% Client homes without access to Internet % #

10,981 37% Clients who don’t own their home % #

23,236 77% Head of household with primary education or less The educational levels in Tanzania are much lower than in the other African countries. % #

9,881 50% Client homes without water In addition to the health risks from contaminated sources, the lack of running water imposes a physical burden on family members -- often children -- who are required to collect and transport it back to the house. % #

10,118 51% Client homes without electricity The electrical grid in Uganda is extremely limited and poorly maintained. % #

15,612 79% Client homes without access to Internet % #

5,731 29% Clients who don’t own their home This indicator is high throughout Africa. % #

11,067 56% Head of household with primary education or less Only Tanzania has a higher incidence of household heads who have a primary education or less. % #

2,799 49% Client homes without water % #

1,371 24% Client homes without electricity This is somewhat better than the rural conditions in neighboring countries, but not as good as DRC, whose clientele is primarily urban, like Zambia's. % #

4,170 73% Client homes without access to Internet % #

2,285 40% Clients who don’t own their home % #

2,468 43% Head of household with primary education or less % #

View All Living Standards Data

More households are struggling to meet basic needs in Africa than in the other regions where FINCA works. Nearly half of our clients live without clean water in their homes, and a third of them are without electricity. This places an enormous burden on families—especially children, who are tasked with fetching wood and water, and whose health and education are compromised by poor living conditions. Nearly 40 percent of borrowers are unable to purchase a home, which denies them a basic means to build their wealth and to secure credit. FINCA cannot overcome all these challenges on its own, but the simple provision of accessible credit and savings services can at least give these families tools to manage their resources and make investments that will improve their quality of life.

Income & Employment

Africa:
Income & Employment

$3,935 23% Average annual profit As a % of the total sales % #

2.6 Average # of employees per client enterprise

513,519 People employed in FINCA-funded enterprises Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia only.

125,637 24% Employees hired due to FINCA loan Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia only. % #

295,408 57% Wages paid above the poverty line Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia only. % #

$6,344 19% Average annual profit % #

2.2 Average # of employees per client enterprise

143,185 People employed in FINCA-funded enterprises

36,309 25% Employees hired due to FINCA loan % #

61,570 43% Wages paid above the poverty line % #

$2,727 27% Average annual profit FINCA clients in Malawi earn an average annual profit of $2,727, the second highest in the region. This represents 27% of their total sales. % #

2.9 Average # of employees per client enterprise Includes the owner. Our borrowers in Malawi generate more employment than any other FINCA subsidiary.

289,174 People employed in FINCA-funded enterprises

60,901 21% Employees hired due to FINCA loan % #

179,288 62% Wages paid above the poverty line % #

No data has been collected yet for this indicator in Nigeria.

The support of FINCA donors is vital to our efforts to understand our clients and better serve them. Please Donate to support this important work.

$3,174 18% Average annual profit 18% of the total sales % #

2.4 Average # of employees per client enterprise

72,185 People employed in FINCA-funded enterprises

27,987 39% Employees hired due to FINCA loan % #

49,569 69% Wages paid above the poverty line % #

No data has been collected yet for this indicator in Uganda.

The support of FINCA donors is vital to our efforts to understand our clients and better serve them. Please Donate to support this important work.

$2,208 36% Average annual profit 36% of total sales. % #

1.6 Average # of employees per client enterprise

8,975 People employed in FINCA-funded enterprises

439 5% Employees hired due to FINCA loan % #

4,981 56% Wages paid above the poverty line The wages provided by FINCA clients in Zambia are lower than other subsidiaries in the region. % #

Explore FINCA Loan Sectors

Faced with high unemployment and low wages, most people in Africa rely on their own ingenuity to earn a living. Through small business and farming, FINCA borrowers in Africa generate about $4,100 per year in net income to sustain their families. They are also creating jobs for others. More than 350,000 people are employed by FINCA’s borrowers in Malawi, Tanzania, DRC and Zambia, at an average of 2.4 people per enterprise (including the owner). Most of the wages earned by these additional employees are above the national poverty line, creating a positive effect that extends into the community.

View All Income & Employment Data

Women’s Empowerment

Africa:
Empowering Women

82,184 37% Female borrowers The majority of female borrowers are the primary income-earners in their families. % #

28,560 13% Clients with female-headed household % #

73,048 33% Households with female as main earner . % #

113,248 56.5% Businesses run by women Most of the businesses funded by FINCA in Africa are run by women, ranging from 54% in Tanzania to 61% in Zambia. % #

232,635 41% Women employed by enterprises Avg. #

268,567 51% Jobs created by women Among FINCA clients, women entrepreneurs in Africa create jobs at a slightly higher rate than men. % #

27,588 43% Female borrowers % #

7,066 11% Clients with female-headed household % #

21,787 34% Households with female as main earner % #

36,224 56.6% Businesses run by women % #

61,440 43% Women employed by enterprises Avg. #

54,760 38% Jobs created by women % #

39,144 39% Female borrowers % #

13,560 13% Clients with female-headed household % #

33,900 34% Households with female as main earner % #

57,337 57.0% Businesses run by women % #

107,632 37% Women employed by enterprises Avg. #

167,721 58% Jobs created by women 58% of total jobs created by FINCA Malawi borrowers were created by women. % #

No data has been collected yet for this indicator in Nigeria.

The support of FINCA donors is vital to our efforts to understand our clients and better serve them. Please Donate to support this important work.

1,369 36% Female borrowers % #

3,264 11% Female borrowers % #

3,469 12% Clients with female-headed household % #

7,900 26% Households with female as main earner Women are often the main breadwinner -- even if they are not the head-of-household. % #

16,202 54.0% Businesses run by women Tanzania is one of the few countries where women's business ownership is equal to their share of the overall client base. This means that they are using FINCA loans to run their own independent businesses. % #

33,905 47% Women employed by enterprises Avg. #

41,867 58% Jobs created by women Altogether, women are employing almost 79,235 workers in their FINCA-funded enterprises. % #

No data has been collected yet for this indicator in Uganda.

The support of FINCA donors is vital to our efforts to understand our clients and better serve them. Please Donate to support this important work.

7,669 39% Female borrowers % #

3,150 55% Female borrowers % #

1,134 20% Clients with female-headed household % #

2,466 43% Households with female as main earner % #

3,485 61.0% Businesses run by women Almost two-thirds of the enterprises funded by FINCA in Zambia are headed by women (61%). % #

5,199 58% Women employed by enterprises Avg. #

4,218 47% Jobs created by women % #

View All Women’s Empowerment Data

Women around the world are responsible borrowers and diligent savers who use their earnings to benefit their families. Women make up the majority of FINCA's borrowers in this region, and most of them are the main source of income in their family. Owning a business also enhances women's social status, particularly when they employ others.

Unfortunately, women are more likely to be left behind in the wave of financial technology, particularly where they are less educated and less familiar with the operation of smartphones. FINCA is bridging this divide by actively engaging women in the design and delivery of new services—including partnering with female shop owners, who can serve as community banking agents and utilize handheld devices to access FINCA bank accounts. These women are not only the beneficiaries of economic empowerment, they are its drivers, especially for other women.

Clients’ Goals

Goals Set By FINCA Borrowers

Goals Met By FINCA Borrowers

24,847 13% Start a business % #

98,047 54% Expand a business This is the most commonly-cited goal among our borrowers. % #

11,470 6% Invest in education % #

40,164 13% Improve their home Home improvement is the second highest goal for this region. % #

13,718 5% Buy an asset % #

7,997 6% Pay down debts % #

11,072 17% Start a business % #

33,216 52% Expand a business % #

4,992 8% Invest in education % #

4,032 6% Improve their home % #

3,584 6% Buy an asset % #

3,264 5% Pay down debts % #

10,554 10% Start a business % #

41,618 41% Expand a business % #

5,604 6% Invest in education % #

32,315 32% Improve their home % #

9,248 9% Buy an asset % #

1,207 1% Pay down debts % #

No data has been collected yet for this indicator in Nigeria.

The support of FINCA donors is vital to our efforts to understand our clients and better serve them. Please Donate to support this important work.

2,910 10% Start a business % #

20,283 68% Expand a business % #

600 2% Invest in education % #

2,250 8% Improve their home % #

330 1% Buy an asset % #

3,450 12% Pay down debts Tanzania is the only country where paying down debts outranks home improvement. % #

No data has been collected yet for this indicator in Uganda.

The support of FINCA donors is vital to our efforts to understand our clients and better serve them. Please Donate to support this important work.

310 5% Start a business % #

2,930 51% Expand a business % #

274 5% Invest in education % #

1,566 27% Improve their home % #

556 10% Buy an asset % #

76 1% Pay down debts % #

22,640 89% Start a business % #

87,175 86% Expand a business % #

10,590 89% Invest in education % #

36,981 84% Improve their home % #

54,883 83% Buy an asset % #

7,426 93% Pay down debts % #

9,157 83% Start a business % #

25,543 77% Expand a business % #

4,183 84% Invest in education % #

2,927 73% Improve their home % #

44,800 70% Buy an asset % #

2,879 88% Pay down debts % #

10,554 100% Start a business % #

39,823 96% Expand a business % #

5,604 100% Invest in education % #

30,466 94% Improve their home % #

9,248 100% Buy an asset % #

1,207 100% Pay down debts % #

No data has been collected yet for this indicator in Nigeria.

The support of FINCA donors is vital to our efforts to understand our clients and better serve them. Please Donate to support this important work.

2,622 90% Start a business % #

19,329 95% Expand a business About 95% of borrowers expect that FINCA’s loans will enable them expand their businesses. % #

529 88% Invest in education Those who have non-business goals, such as education or to acquire assets, express slightly less certainty that they will be able to accomplish this aspiration. % #

2,037 91% Improve their home % #

293 89% Buy an asset % #

3,264 95% Pay down debts % #

No data has been collected yet for this indicator in Uganda.

The support of FINCA donors is vital to our efforts to understand our clients and better serve them. Please Donate to support this important work.

307 99% Start a business Almost all borrowers expect that FINCA’s loan will enable them to achieve these goals. % #

2,479 85% Expand a business % #

274 100% Invest in education % #

1,552 99% Improve their home % #

541 97% Buy an asset % #

76 100% Pay down debts % #

View All Clients’ Goals Data

Over half of our borrowers in Africa use their loans to grow an existing business, while a smaller percentage are launching new ventures. Beyond business, the next highest priority is to improve their housing. FINCA helps put these aspirations within reach; the vast majority of clients say that our loans helped them (or are helping them) achieve these goals.

Special Topics

FINCA Loan Sectors

168,457 75% Trade % #

30,659 14% Services % #

9,047 4% Manufacturing % #

13,493 6% Crops % #

2,014 1% Livestock % #

54,464 85% Trade % #

7,168 11% Services % #

1,216 2% Manufacturing % #

576 1% Crops % #

512 1% Livestock % #

72,224 72% Trade % #

13,389 13% Services % #

4,999 5% Manufacturing % #

9,888 10% Crops % #

0 0% Livestock % #

No data has been collected yet for this indicator in Nigeria.

The support of FINCA donors is vital to our efforts to understand our clients and better serve them. Please Donate to support this important work.

19,773 66% Trade % #

6,211 21% Services % #

1,440 5% Manufacturing % #

1,410 5% Crops % #

1,170 4% Livestock % #

No data has been collected yet for this indicator in Uganda.

The support of FINCA donors is vital to our efforts to understand our clients and better serve them. Please Donate to support this important work.

4,285 75% Trade % #

668 12% Services % #

440 8% Manufacturing % #

200 4% Crops % #

120 2% Livestock % #

Profit and Profit/Sales Ratio by Sector

$4,159 22% Trade Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit

3,441 27% Services Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit

$4,361 30% Manufacturing Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit

$1,811 19% Crops Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit

$1,330 17% Livestock Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit

$6,481 19% Trade Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit

5,384 17% Services Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit

$9,813 18% Manufacturing Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit

$1,622 16% Crops Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit

$3,145 40% Livestock Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit

$2,966 25% Trade Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit

2,547 34% Services Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit

$1,580 36% Manufacturing Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit

$1,832 21% Crops Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit

$0 0% Livestock test Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit

No data has been collected yet for this indicator in Nigeria.

The support of FINCA donors is vital to our efforts to understand our clients and better serve them. Please Donate to support this important work.

$3,560 15% Trade Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit

2,571 25% Services Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit

$2,505 33% Manufacturing Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit

$2,175 14% Crops Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit

$1,864 18% Livestock Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit

No data has been collected yet for this indicator in Uganda.

The support of FINCA donors is vital to our efforts to understand our clients and better serve them. Please Donate to support this important work.

$2,309 35% Trade Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit

1,976 38% Services Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit

$1,996 35% Manufacturing Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit

$1,658 46% Crops Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit

$1,610 46% Livestock Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit

Jobs by Sector Due to FINCA Loan

89,157 71% Trade % #

23743 19% Services % #

4,080 3% Manufacturing % #

7,358 6% Crops % #

1,299 1% Livestock % #

32,678 90% Trade % #

2564 7% Services % #

579 2% Manufacturing % #

346 1% Crops % #

142 0% Livestock % #

38,604 63% Trade % #

14330 24% Services % #

2,340 4% Manufacturing % #

5,627 9% Crops % #

0 0% Livestock % #

No data has been collected yet for this indicator in Nigeria.

The support of FINCA donors is vital to our efforts to understand our clients and better serve them. Please Donate to support this important work.

17,582 63% Trade % #

6785 24% Services % #

1,098 4% Manufacturing % #

1,367 5% Crops % #

1,154 4% Livestock % #

No data has been collected yet for this indicator in Uganda.

The support of FINCA donors is vital to our efforts to understand our clients and better serve them. Please Donate to support this important work.

293 67% Trade % #

64 15% Services % #

63 14% Manufacturing % #

17 4% Crops % #

3 1% Livestock % #