IFC and Mastercard Foundation Launch Partnership to Improve Financial Services for Millions in Africa

Johannesburg, South Africa, May 7, 2012 — IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, and Mastercard Foundation today launched a partnership to increase access to financial services for an estimated 5.3 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa. Building on recent economic momentum and stability in many African economies, the project will create new opportunities for economically disadvantaged people to expand businesses, gain access to cost-effective financial services, and manage risk.

Through this new $37.4 million partnership, IFC and Mastercard Foundation will help microfinance banks expand more rapidly and develop new products and cost-effective delivery channels, while expanding coverage in new, often hard-to-reach locations. The project will also help providers to deliver low-cost mobile financial services to low-income customers.

“Disadvantaged people derive real benefits from having more control over their finances, and our partnership with IFC will help bring responsible financial services to a significant number of people in Sub-Saharan Africa,” said Reeta Roy, President and CEO of The MasterCard Foundation. “As we scale institutions and support new mobile financial service opportunities, this partnership will also create knowledge that will be invaluable in promoting greater financial inclusion.”

Mastercard Foundation has become a major player in the field of microfinance, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, having forged partnerships worth more than $230 million since its inception in 2006. To date, these partnerships have helped provide financial services to over a million people, and provided another two million with access to financial education.

The Mastercard Foundation partnership is IFC’s largest with a private foundation.

“This partnership leverages IFC’s global expertise, local knowledge, and client networks to promote greater financial inclusion,” said Nena Stoiljkovic, IFC Vice President for Business Advisory Services. “It will help IFC clients do more for low-income customers in Africa.”

Since its first microfinance investment in 1997, IFC’s involvement in microfinance has steadily increased, and IFC is now one of the top three global investors in microfinance. As of June 2011, IFC had directly committed over $1.2 billion in investments to microfinance projects globally, with more than 150 financial institutions in over 60 countries.

IFC invested early in mobile financial services, supporting pioneers such as WIZZIT in South Africa, and providing advisory support to MTN in Nigeria and Airtel in Madagascar. IFC’s portfolio includes six investments with dedicated e-payment service providers, and investments with financial intermediaries and mobile network operators offering mobile wallets.

IFC’s microfinance and mobile financial services programs in Sub-Saharan Africa have received support from the African Development Bank, Austrian Development Bank, the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), and the governments of Austria, Denmark, Japan, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands.

About IFC

IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global development institution focused exclusively on the private sector. We help developing countries achieve sustainable growth by financing investment, providing advisory services to businesses and governments, and mobilizing capital in the international financial markets. In fiscal 2011, amid economic uncertainty across the globe, we helped our clients create jobs, strengthen environmental performance, and contribute to their local communities—all while driving our investments to an all-time high of nearly $19 billion. For more information, visit www.ifc.org.

About Mastercard Foundation

Mastercard Foundation advances microfinance and youth learning to promote financial inclusion and prosperity. Through collaboration with committed partners in over 48 developing countries, it is helping people living in poverty to access opportunities to learn and prosper. Based in Toronto, Canada, Mastercard Foundation was established through the generosity of Mastercard International at the time of the company’s initial public offering in 2006. It operates independently of Mastercard International. For more information, visit http://mastercardfdn.org.

Contact:

In Johannesburg
Gregor Pfeifer                                                                          
Phone: +27 (0)11 731 3139
Email: GPfeifer@ifc.org

In Toronto
Toni Tiemens
Phone: +1 416 214 2857 x2283
Email: ttiemens@mastercardfdn.org

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