FINCA Results

Measuring Our Impact

Social Performance Management

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Africa

Since launching operations in Uganda, FINCA has expanded its presence to six countries in sub-Saharan Africa and is currently providing financial services to over 660,000 people. Most of our borrowers are women and many live in rural areas, where living conditions can be especially harsh.

Unemployment is high and economic opportunities are few, especially for African women. In the countries where we work, nearly 70% of the adult population still lacks access to banking services and many or our borrowers struggle to meet even the most basic needs. Half of them live in homes with no source of clean water and about a third have no electricity.

Despite these challenges, our clients in Africa have shown resilience and determination to make their lives better for themselves, their families and even their communities. For example, many have successfully created jobs for others in the community, helping more people increase their incomes and provide for their families.

Explore Africa Data ↓

Financial Inclusion

Africa:
Reaching the Financially Excluded

70% Adult population financially excluded The regional average is strongly influenced by Nigeria, which is home to over 182 million people, and where 56% of adults are denied banking services. In DR-Congo, with 85 million inhabitants, this figure rises to almost 90%.
160,066 58% Female borrowers Over half of FINCA’s clients in the region are women. Our household survey shows that the majority of them are the primary income-earners in their families. % #
598,290 Total FINCA clients In Africa, savers outnumber borrowers by more than 2 to 1. FINCA subsidiaries in this region are mostly regulated banks, and they use non-traditional payment channels, such as rural banking agents, to mobilize small deposits in remote areas.
103,250 38% Borrowers in rural areas Rural outreach is particularly striking in Tanzania and Uganda, where it reaches as high as 75%. The regional average is heavily influenced by DR-Congo and Zambia, which are primarily serving urban customers, many of whom have migrated from the countryside. % #
274,505 Total FINCA borrowers
89% Adult population financially excluded The rate of financial exclusion is seven percentage points higher than the regional average (82%).
66,723 64% Female borrowers % #
223,833 Total FINCA clients FINCA DRC has more than twice as many savers as borrowers.
Explore DRC Data
84% Adult population financially excluded
27,699 62% Female borrowers % #
48,523 Total FINCA clients
Explore Malawi Data
56% Adult population financially excluded More than half of the adult population in Nigeria is financially excluded.
2,774 53% Female borrowers More than half of FINCA borrowers are women. % #
20,012 Total FINCA clients
Explore Nigeria Data
81% Adult population financially excluded The rate of financial exclusion is on a par with the regional average..
27,489 53% Female borrowers % #
78,183 Total FINCA clients
Explore Tanzania Data
72% Adult population financially excluded
23,043 46% Female borrowers % #
138,976 Total FINCA clients
Explore Uganda Data
69% Adult population financially excluded The level of financial inclusion in Zambia is higher than in in Africa overall, but is still very low, at 31%.
12,338 65% Female borrowers % #
88,763 Total FINCA clients
Explore Zambia Data

Without access to financial services, unbanked communities, especially women and people in rural areas, can be trapped in a stressful cycle of poverty. For poor families there is the added challenge of low and often uncertain income. How do they get the money to tide their family over until they sell their crops? How do they pay for emergency medical treatment for their loved ones?

For many Africans, this is a daily reality. Africa has the second highest rate of financial exclusion in the world. FINCA is advancing our mission by reaching these severely under-banked populations. Despite the lack of infrastructure and remoteness of villages and communities, FINCA has established a strong presence in rural areas of Africa, where poverty and financial exclusion are often most entrenched.

Mobile banking and other digital financial services are rapidly expanding the financial frontier in Africa. These banking platforms started out mainly as forms of payment between individuals, but they are evolving into other services, including savings and credit . FINCA has strategically prioritized the adoption of these technologies in Africa so we can reach even more excluded populations with needed financial services.

Living Standards

Africa:
Quality of Life

134,186 49% Client homes without water % #
96,244 35% Client homes without electricity % #
174,470 64% Client homes without access to Internet % #
108,912 40% 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%). % #
110,867 40% Head of household with primary education or less % #
47,855 46% Client homes without water The DR Congo, 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. % #
16,645 16% Client homes without electricity % #
49,936 48% Client homes without access to Internet % #
54,097 52% Clients who don’t own their home % #
11,283 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. % #
Explore DRC Data
23,647 53% Client homes without water % #
23,647 53% Client homes without electricity More clients lack electricity in Malawi than anywhere else in the region. % #
29,893 67% Client homes without access to Internet High taxes and poor infrastructure, among other obstacles, make access to the Internet prohibitively expensive, % #
13,831 31% Clients who don’t own their home % #
23,424 53% Head of household with primary education or less % #
Explore Malawi Data

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.

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28,377 55% Client homes without water % #
25,798 50% Client homes without electricity % #
41,276 80% Client homes without access to Internet % #
18,884 37% Clients who don’t own their home % #
39,957 77% Head of household with primary education or less The educational levels in Tanzania are much lower than in the other African countries. % #
Explore Tanzania Data
24,992 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. % #
25,592 51% Client homes without electricity The electrical grid in Uganda is extremely limited and poorly maintained. % #
39,487 79% Client homes without access to Internet % #
14,495 29% Clients who don’t own their home This indicator is high throughout Africa. % #
27,991 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. % #
Explore Uganda Data
9,315 49% Client homes without water % #
4,562 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. % #
13,877 73% Client homes without access to Internet % #
7,604 40% Clients who don’t own their home % #
8,212 43% Head of household with primary education or less % #
Explore Zambia Data

By increasing earnings and savings, financial services allow poor people to make the transformation from every-day survival to planning for the future. Parents are able to pay for their children’s tuition and better their living conditions.

More FINCA families 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 houses and over a third of them have no electricity. These hardships place an enormous burden on the whole family, especially children who often are tasked to collect water and cooking fuel. Worse, their health and education are severely compromised by illnesses and the lack of lighting to do their schoolwork.

Housing is one of the most important assets for any family. Our clients in Africa suffer from lower rates of home-ownership than anywhere else in the world. Lacking a home not only deprives these clients of comfort and security, it also denies them an important means to use their home’s value to improve their financial situation (by using it as collateral for a larger business loan) over time. By accessing financial services and increasing their income, many of our clients improve their existing homes or build new ones.

Income & Employment

Africa:
Income & Employment

$2,841 24% Average annual profit 24% of the total sales % #
2.45 Average # of employees per client enterprise
282,257 People employed in FINCA-funded enterprises Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia only.
76,601 27% Employees hired due to FINCA loan Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia only. % #
181,338 64% Wages paid above the poverty line Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia only. % #

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

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.

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$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. % #
2.87 Average # of employees per client enterprise Includes the owner, FINCA Malawi's borrowers generate more employment than other subsidiaries in the region.
128,263 People employed in FINCA-funded enterprises
27,013 21% Employees hired due to FINCA loan % #
79,523 62% Wages paid above the poverty line % #
Explore Malawi Data

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.

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$3,174 18% Average annual profit 18% of the total sales. % #
2.41 Average # of employees per client enterprise
124,130 People employed in FINCA-funded enterprises
48,127 39% Employees hired due to FINCA loan % #
85,240 69% Wages paid above the poverty line % #
Explore Tanzania Data

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.

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$2,208 36% Average annual profit 36% of total sales. % #
1.57 Average # of employees per client enterprise
29,865 People employed in FINCA-funded enterprises
1,462 5% Employees hired due to FINCA loan % #
16,575 56% Wages paid above the poverty line The wages provided by FINCA clients in Zambia are lower than other subsidiaries in the region. % #
Explore Zambia Data

Explore FINCA Loan Sectors

Financial services can improve lives by providing needed financing for business activities, which can increase household incomes. Reliable sources of financial services help low-income people plan for and expand their income-generating activities, which can enable families to save, manage cash, and reduce the need to sell their few assets to in times of crisis.

Using the help of FINCA loans, our borrowers across Africa generate between $2,727 and $3,174 per year in net income to sustain their families – a considerable income where half the population lives on less than $1.25 a day.

In addition to growing incomes, our entrepreneurs in Africa are creating jobs for others in the community. Our subsidiaries in Africa have some of the highest number of employees per business, compared to the rest of our network. Over 300,000 people are employed by FINCA’s borrowers in Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia. Including the owner, total employment averages 2.4 employees. Most of the wages earned by these additional employees are above the national poverty line, creating a positive ripple effect.

Women’s Empowerment

Africa:
Empowering Women

64,889 56% 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. % #
293,849 45% Women employed by enterprises Avg. #
160,424 56% Jobs created by women Among FINCA clients, women entrepreneurs in Africa create jobs at a slightly higher rate than men. % #
66,723 64% Female borrowers % #
14,808 14% Clients with female-headed household % #
45,659 44% Households with female as main earner % #
Explore DRC Data
27,699 62% Female borrowers % #
8,802 20% Clients with female-headed household % #
22,005 49% Households with female as main earner % #
25,432 57% Businesses run by women % #
47,740 37% Women employed by enterprises Avg. #
74,392 58% Jobs created by women 58% of total jobs created by FINCA Malawi borrowers were created by women. % #
Explore Malawi Data

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.

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27,489 53% Female borrowers % #
10,945 21% Clients with female-headed household % #
24,924 48% Households with female as main earner Women are often the main breadwinner -- even if they are not the head-of-household. % #
27,861 54% 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. % #
58,302 47% Women employed by enterprises Avg. #
71,995 58% Jobs created by women Altogether, women are employing almost 79,235 workers in their FINCA-funded enterprises. % #
Explore Tanzania Data
23,043 46% Female borrowers % #
9,870 20% Clients with female-headed household % #
20,727 41% Households with female as main earner % #
Explore Uganda Data
12,338 65% Female borrowers % #
4,537 24% Clients with female-headed household % #
9,869 52% Households with female as main earner % #
11,596 61% Businesses run by women Almost two-third of the enterprises funded by FINCA in Zambia are headed by women (61%). % #
17,299 58% Women employed by enterprises Avg. #
14,036 47% Jobs created by women % #
Explore Zambia Data

Over the past 30 years, FINCA has found that women are responsible borrowers, diligent savers and competent managers who use their income to benefit their business, family and community.

In Africa, our female clients are no different. Women make up the majority of FINCA's borrowers in Africa and most are the main source of income in their family. Beyond providing for their families, owning a business also enhances women's social status, particularly when they employ others .

Women are more likely to be left behind in the wave of financial technology in Africa, particularly where they suffer from lower levels of education and familiarity with tech devices. 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 hand-held devices to access FINCA bank accounts.

Clients’ Goals

Goals Set By FINCA Borrowers
Goals Met By FINCA Borrowers
No items found

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

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.

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4,681 10% Start a business % #
18,460 41% Expand a business % #
2,485 6% Invest in education % #
14,333 32% Improve their home % #
4,102 9% Buy an asset % #
483 1% Pay down debts % #
Explore Malawi Data

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.

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5,005 10% Start a business 10% of people borrowers intend to start a new business. % #
34,878 68% Expand a business The single most important goal of FINCA’s borrowers in Tanzania is to expand their business (68%). % #
1,032 2% Invest in education % #
3,870 8% Improve their home % #
568 1% Buy an asset % #
5,933 12% Pay down debts % #
Explore Tanzania Data

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.

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1,033 5% Start a business % #
9,751 51% Expand a business % #
913 5% Invest in education % #
5,212 27% Improve their home % #
1,849 10% Buy an asset % #
252 1% Pay down debts % #
Explore Zambia Data
No items found

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

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.

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44,617 100% Start a business % #
42,692 96% Expand a business % #
44,617 100% Invest in education % #
42,063 94% Improve their home % #
44,617 100% Buy an asset % #
44,617 100% Pay down debts % #
Explore Malawi Data

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.

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46,487 90% Start a business % #
49,170 95% Expand a business About 95% of borrowers expect that FINCA’s loans will enable them expand their businesses. % #
45,507 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. % #
46,693 91% Improve their home % #
45,868 89% Buy an asset % #
48,809 95% Pay down debts % #
Explore Tanzania Data

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.

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18,789 99% Start a business Almost all borrowers expect that FINCA’s loan will enable them to achieve these goals. % #
16,084 85% Expand a business % #
19,010 100% Invest in education % #
18,835 99% Improve their home % #
18,516 97% Buy an asset % #
19,010 100% Pay down debts % #
Explore Zambia Data

Our clients are working to improve their lives with successful businesses. They often have simple dreams to fix the roof on their house, send their children to school or help their community.

For our African clients, the most important goal is to grow their existing businesses. A smaller percentage of clients intend to start a business from scratch. Home improvement is the third highest goal for borrowers in this region.

The vast majority of clients – over 94% – say that their goals in taking a FINCA loan can be (or were) achieved.

Special Topics

FINCA Loan Sectors

191,292 70% Trade % #
44,891 16% Services % #
14,670 5% Manufacturing % #
17,811 6% Crops % #
5,745 2% Livestock % #

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

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.

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32,035 72% Trade % #
5,939 13% Services % #
2,217 5% Manufacturing % #
4,386 10% Crops % #
0 0% Livestock % #
Explore Malawi Data

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.

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34,001 66% Trade % #
10,680 21% Services % #
2,477 5% Manufacturing % #
2,425 5% Crops % #
2,012 4% Livestock % #
Explore Tanzania Data

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.

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14,258 75% Trade % #
2,224 12% Services % #
1,464 8% Manufacturing % #
665 4% Crops % #
399 2% Livestock % #
Explore Zambia Data

Profit and Profit/Sales Ratio by Sector

$3,124 23% Trade Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit
2,464 30% Services Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit
$2,063 35% Manufacturing Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit
$1,957 22% Crops Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit
$1,795 25% Livestock Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit

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

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.

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$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
Explore Malawi Data

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.

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$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
Explore Tanzania Data

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.

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$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
Explore Zambia Data

Jobs by Sector Due to FINCA Loan

48,330 63% Trade % #
18236 Services % #
3,136 4% Manufacturing % #
4,904 6% Crops % #
1,995 3% Livestock % #

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

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.

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17,123 63% Trade % #
6356 Services % #
1,038 4% Manufacturing % #
2,496 9% Crops % #
- 0% Livestock % #
Explore Malawi Data

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.

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30,234 63% Trade % #
11668 Services % #
1,888 4% Manufacturing % #
2,351 5% Crops % #
1,985 4% Livestock % #
Explore Tanzania Data

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.

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974 67% Trade % #
212 Services % #
209 14% Manufacturing % #
57 4% Crops % #
10 1% Livestock % #
Explore Zambia Data

Africa Stories

betty nakintu

A School of Her Dreams

Thanks to the help of FINCA's microfinance loans, Betty Nakintu could create the school of her dreams in Kampala, Uganda.
Read Betty's Story

A Journey With a Few Dollars

With a small loan from FINCA, Agnes Chitsotso turned her tiny business into a thriving one that now supports her children and...
Read Agnes's Story

Brightening Their Future

With BrightLife's solar lamps and clean cookstoves, Walakira Grace is saving time and money and improving her family's well-being.
Read Walakira's Story

© 2016 FINCA International

Contact Our Research Team

Visit FINCA.org

Contact Our Research Team

© 2017 FINCA International

Visit FINCA.org