BancABC clinches P3bn financing deal
Monday, August 10, 2015
Under the terms of the agreement, OPIC will provide $200 million in long-term debt and Atlas Mara will provide $100 million of committed resources, to expand the operations of Atlas Mara’s Southern African banking platform BancABC.
BancABC will scale up its SME loan portfolio, increase on-lending for financial inclusion products, and invest in information technology upgrades to quicken implementation of its new financial technology and mobile banking initiatives, Atlas Mara said.
Whilst celebrating milestones in inclusivity, with notably P5 billion awarded to vulnerable groups, the report sounds a 'siren' on a dangerous and growing trend: the ballooning use of micro-procurement. That this method, designed for small-scale, efficient purchases, now accounts for a staggering 25% (P8 billion) of total procurement value is not a sign of agility, but a 'red flag'. The PPRA’s warning is unequivocal and must be...