Why Financial Inclusion Matters

Millions of Ethiopians are excluded from benefiting from financial services due to underdeveloped capital infrastructure and risk-averse banking. Only 45% of Ethiopia’s population has access to bank accounts, and less than 30% of adults save with formal institutions. Access to consumer loans and credit is extremely low, and a small insurance market offers limited product options to a tenth of the population. Furthermore, women are disproportionately affected by financial exclusion in Ethiopia, and a significant gender gap exists in access to banking, saving, and credit services.
The lack of these essential financial services especially threatens the livelihoods of people living in poverty, and limits the growth potential of small and medium businesses. Advancing inclusive growth requires an improved policy and regulatory environment with better financial solutions, more responsive financial service providers, and more informed Ethiopians participating in the financial system, especially women, youth and entrepreneurs.

Our Approach
Expanding basic financial access
Capacitating the innovation of traditional and digital solutions that allow all consumers to save, transact, access credit, invest and safeguard their assets easily and responsibly.
Supporting an inclusive insurance sector
Expanding insurance coverage to underserved consumers while providing knowledge resources to help manage and mitigate financial risk.
Deepening financial services
Encouraging collaboration between public sector organizations and private entities to build accessible forms of finance.
Supporting an inclusive insurance sector
Expanding insurance coverage to underserved consumers while providing knowledge resources to help manage and mitigate financial risk.