MFTransparency Press Release LANCASTER, PA & LUSAKA, ZAMBIA, May 31, 2011 – On June 6, 2011 MFTransparency and the Association of MicroFinance Institutions of Zambia (AMIZ) will co-host a workshop in Lusaka, Zambia to launch the Transparent Pricing Initiative in Zambia, the sixth country in the MasterCard Foundation-funded enabling APR &... 

From Business Standard SKS Microfinance today said it will charge a processing fee of 1% of the amount on all micro loans offered, a move that would provide greater transparency in operation. The credit shield insurance premium will be collected from the borrowers on the actual basis without any administrative charges, SKS Microfinance informed... 

// By Awah B. Nah, FOROYAA Newspaper (Serrekunda) The centre for Microfinance leadership at Women’s World Banking (WWB) on Monday the 23rd of May 2011 conducted a five-day management development programme and Training of Trainers. The programme was co-hosted by the African Microfinance Network (AFMIN) with support from the Spanish Agency... 

Press Release: Asian Development Bank PNG’s Nationwide Microbank Signs Up 100,000th Customer Manila, Philippines, 31 May 2011 – Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) Nationwide Microbank has signed up its 100,000th customer, highlighting the ongoing demand for quality and accessible banking services in the country. The landmark bank account was opened by... 

// By Ben Uzor Jr, Businessday Online As Nigeria gradually moves towards the era of mobile payment system, plastic cards (debit and credit) may soon become old-fashioned, analysts told BusinessDay at the weekend. This is even as mobile money operators, regulators make every effort to sustain the shift from card-based transaction to mobile-based... 

// From Business Standard Equifax Credit Information Services, the joint venture between Equifax and six leading Indian financial institutions announced the launch of a new microfinance credit bureau in India today.  The bureau is aimed at supporting the efforts of financial institutions, specifically microfinance institutions (MFIs), to provide... 

// By Hope Moses-Ashike, Businessday Online The alarming rate of non repayment of loan borrowed by microfinance banks customers calls for immediate action by the regulatory authorities as well as the government. In Lagos State alone, over N10 billion were being owed by these micro depositors who borrowed money form their various institutions. Most... 

// By Nike Popoola, Punch on the Web Insurance plays a key role in advanced economies, contributing significantly to their Gross Domestic Products. This is, however, not the case in Africa. Experts at the just concluded African Insurance Organisation’s conference, in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, suggest how to reposition the continent’s insurance... 

// By Dinesh Unnikrishnan & Aveek Datta, Livemint Mumbai: Microfinance institutions (MFIs), scrambling for money after banks stopped funding the ailing sector, are increasingly tapping the securitized loan market to raise resources despite transaction costs having become higher. Securitization is the process of pooling loans and turning them... 

By Beatus Kagashe, The Citizen Dar es Salaam. The annual general meeting of the National Microfinance Bank (Nmb) has approved a dividend of Sh36 per share being an increase of 15 per cent over the dividends shareholders got in the previous year. A total of Sh18 billion will be given to the bank’s shareholders as dividends from the Sh54 billion...