Project profile — Improving Access to Credit for Microbusinesses and Small Enterprises

• Panama (7.56%)
• Tunisia (34.23%)
• Côte d'Ivoire (9.25%)
• Zambia (7.57%)
• Tanzania (7.56%)
• Benin (6.97%)
• Colombia (17.61%)
• Nigeria (9.25%)

• Banking And Financial Services: Formal sector financial intermediaries (24030) (50.00%)
• Industry: Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) development (32130) (50.00%)

• Gender equality (significant objective)
• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (significant objective)
• Participatory development and good governance (not targeted)
• Trade development (significant objective)
• Biodiversity (not targeted)
• Climate change mitigation (not targeted)
• Climate Change Adaptation (not targeted)
• Desertification (not targeted)
• Urban issues (not targeted)
• Children's issues (not targeted)
• Youth Issues (not targeted)
• Disaster Risk Reduction(DRR) (not targeted)
• Disability (not targeted)
• Indigenous Issues (not targeted)
• Nutrition (not targeted)
• ICT as a tool for development (not targeted)

This project aims to reduce poverty and promote economic growth in target African and Latin American countries by improving access to financial services tailored to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). The project aims to achieve the following objectives: the creation of a new Financial Center for Entrepreneurs (CFE) in Tunisia; the strengthening of existing CFEs in Tanzania, Zambia and Panama; the development of three Alliance CFEs in Benin; and the implementation of a new financing unit in five microfinance institutions in Colombia. By offering loan programs, specialized products and shareholding and support programs for MSMEs, CFEs offer more extensive services than microcredit, and are particularly suited to entrepreneurs who do not meet the requirements of traditional banks. The main activities of this project include : (1) drafting business plans for new CFEs; (2) implementing technological solutions related to operations; (3) recruiting and training CFE staff; (4) developing credit products for entrepreneurs and technologies that enhance their accessibility; (5) developing innovative financial services; and (6) strengthening CFEs' internal audit and governance capacity.

The expected intermediate outcome for this project includes the sustainable and competitive creation and expansion of microenterprises and small enterprises led by women and men in seven targeted countries in Africa and Latin America.

Results achieved as of the end of the project (December 2022): (1) access to financial services for 47,322 entrepreneurs, including 18,290 women and 29,032 men, through Financial Center for Entrepreneurs and partner institutions; (2) creation and maintenance of 109,800 jobs and disbursement of 72,165 loans to entrepreneurs, including 25,336 (35.10%) to women; and (3) job creation and retention averaging 37% per year between 2014 and 2019, and 20% per year between 2020 and 2022; this growth has helped entrepreneurs better cope with the pandemic by keeping their businesses open. At the end of the project, all Entrepreneur Financial Centers has a solvency ratio in excess of 15%, demonstrating good management in fulfilling its mission of financial inclusion.

• Proactive disclosure