Strengthening access to productive credit for women entrepreneurs in Kenya and Uganda

• Jul 30, 2025
• 1 min

Across sub-Saharan Africa, many women who run small and informal businesses struggle to access affordable, productive credit. The impact of COVID-19 worsened this, limiting women’s ability to grow their enterprises and improve their livelihoods.

To address this, MSC developed a clear business case to expand microfinance solutions tailored to women-led businesses. We began by looking at what works, drawing lessons from successful models in Asia, Latin America, and parts of Africa. Our research focused on what enables financial institutions to deliver meaningful credit to women, which included supportive policies, strong delivery models, relevant partnerships, and products that can scale.

From over 130 financial institutions reviewed in Kenya and Uganda, we identified five with strong potential: KCB Kenya, BRAC Uganda, FINCA, Stanbic Kenya, and Stanbic Uganda. MSC partnered with each one to co-design and test credit products for small-scale women entrepreneurs. We supported them through every step, from shaping the product concept and testing prototypes, to developing pricing strategies and exploring alternative ways to assess creditworthiness.

We also provided guidance on how to unlock low-cost, long-term capital to support future growth through second-tier financing mechanisms.

This work has helped lay the foundation for financial products that meet the real needs of women entrepreneurs, offering both impact and sustainability.

The Gates Foundation commissioned this project.