IFC Approves $10 Million Loan for Women and Small Businesses in Pakistan

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a subsidiary of the World Bank Group, has granted a $10 million loan to ASA Microfinance Bank (Pakistan) Limited. This financing aims to broaden access to capital for women entrepreneurs and small businesses throughout Pakistan. The four-year loan will grant ASA Microfinance Bank additional funds to increase its lending towards women borrowers and aid the bank in its ongoing expansion.

The investment is backed by the International Development Association Private Sector Window Blended Finance Facility and will be managed through IFC’s MSME Finance Platform. This platform aids financial institutions in offering funding to small-scale enterprises in emerging markets. The loan arises at a time when access to formal financial services remains limited in Pakistan, with only 27% of Pakistani adults holding a bank account.

The country’s gap in micro, small, and medium enterprise finance is estimated at approximately $57.8 billion, or roughly 20% of the country's gross domestic product. Around 39% of small and medium enterprises are deemed credit constrained, with women facing an even larger disparity in accessing formal financial services. The percentage of women with a formal account is 30.4 points lower than men's.

As part of the investment, IFC will also offer advisory services to assist ASA Microfinance Bank in enhancing its gender-disaggregated data reporting systems and practices. The goal is to enable the bank to better comprehend and cater to the financial needs of women borrowers.