| Project Detail |
The Financial Sector Deepening and Financial Inclusion Project in Niger (PASFIF) was designed because of the need to support Niger in the process of modernising its economy and creating structural conditions for strong, sustainable, inclusive and diversified economic growth. The project aims to achieve structural transformation of the credit market in Niger by proposing medium, and long-term financing (+5-10-20 years) to financial system actors by significantly improving financial inclusion and green/climate finance mobilisation capacity nationwide. Its expected outcomes include (i) improved mobilisation of long-term resources and green funds; (ii) improved financial inclusion; and (iii) enhanced job creation. PASFIF has three complementary components: (i) deepening of long-term financing and increased mobilisation of green funds through capitalisation and capacity building of the Inclusive Finance Development Fund (FDIF); (ii) support for the digital financial inclusion of the population; and (iii) project management.
Project Objectives
The project’s development objective is to ensure more effective long-term resource mobilisation for Financial Service Providers (FSP) in Niger and improve the financial inclusion of vulnerable segments of the population. The specific objectives are as follows: a) build the technical and operational capacity of DFS to develop a responsible, efficient and transparent digital payment ecosystem while focusing on a reduction in costs paid by users; b) strengthen mechanisms that will boost the mobilisation of domestic savings and long-term resources including those from climate financing to ensure appropriate financing of the national economy and vulnerable communities; and c) improve the general public’s access to financial services while focusing on SMEs, women, youth and rural communities.
Beneficiaries
The direct beneficiary is the Government of Niger, through SE-SNFI, which is FDIF’s technical secretariat, the operational and financial capacity of which will be strengthened. The Microfinance Sector Regulatory Authority (ARSM) and local actors responsible for financial sector supervision will also benefit from the capacity-building programmes. As regards other private sector beneficiaries, FDIF, as a result of its capital increase, will thus be able to improve FSP access to long-term resources, including, especially DFS, non-banking institutions, insurance companies, banks and FinTech as part of the implementation of the National Inclusive Financing Strategy (SNFI 2019-2023). However, the local populations are the project’s end beneficiaries insofar as its implementation entails the conduct of financial awareness raising and education campaigns and will contribute to the development of innovative digital financial products and services adapted to the needs of disadvantaged segments of the population, in particular women, youth, MSMEs and rural communities. |
