IFC invests $10 million in ASA Microfinance Bank to boost lending to women entrepreneurs

Profit by Pakistan Today reported that the International Finance Corporation, part of the World Bank Group, will provide ASA Microfinance Bank Limited with a $10 million loan running four years. The bank plans to channel the money into lending to female entrepreneurs and micro enterprises nationwide. According to the statement, the funding is meant to strengthen liquidity so the bank can take on more clients as it grows.

Financial access in Pakistan remains thin, with only 27% of adults holding a bank account. The MSME finance gap is put at roughly $57.8 billion, about a fifth of GDP, and around 39% of these enterprises are viewed as credit constrained. The gender divide is even sharper, since women's formal account ownership trails men's by 30.4 percentage points.

In addition to the loan, the IFC will supply targeted advisory support aimed at sharpening how ASA MFB collects and reports data split by gender. The goal is to give the lender a clearer picture of women borrowers' needs, enabling a more effective response over the longer term.