August 2009

After the success of Johannesburg (2003), Cape Town (2005) and Kampala (2007), Compuscan once again attended the '4^th African Micro Finance Conference' which was held in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso this year from the 7th to the 10th of July 2009.

The conference focussed on the issue of affordable access to financial services for the majority of small and medium African entrepreneurs (operating mostly in rural as well as in the urban areas).

It brought over 600 participants together coming from central banks, banks, microfinance practitioners, consultants, central bankers, researchers, governmental authorities together as well as technical and financial partners who was willing to share their experiences in building affordable and inclusive access to financial services for low income African populations.

The discussions in the conference revolved around the following sub themes:

• Transaction Costs Revisited for a More Efficient Financial Services Delivery to the Poor Clients
• Financial Systems Supervision: Start of Super Protectionism and End of Innovation?
• Inclusive Financial System Challenges in Africa: Roles and Intervention Methodology of the Various Actors
• Rural Micro Enterprise Financing in Africa – a neglected area because of a focus on agriculture?
• Microfinance and Food Security
• Microfinance and the Global Financial Crisis.

Mike Malan, Managing Director of Compuscan CRB Uganda, presented Compuscan at the event and did a presentation on “Credit bureau Progress at the Expense of MFI – as result of law of the land”

Some of the presentation topics which were presented by other experts during the 4 days of the conference were:

• Transaction Costs Revision for a More Efficient Financial Services Delivery to the Poor Clients - Dr David Porteous
• Financial Systems Supervision: Start of Super Protectionism and End of Innovation? - Konzon Traoré, General Manager BCEAO
• Inclusive Financial System Challenges in Africa: Roles and Intervention Methodology of the Various Actors - Patrick d’Huarte
• The Need for Pricing Transparency in Microfinance - Alexandra Fiorillo from Microfinance Transparency
• The Cost of Regulations and Compliance and the Impact on Transaction Costs in Microfinance Institutions – Is it worth the cost? - David Okiopello from Bank of Uganda
• Using Mobile Phone Technology and Electronic Payment Systems Towards Decreasing Transaction Costs - Arvin Ashta
• Supervision and Self Regulation: Is it the Key Aspect to Promote Microfinance? - Clement Wonou
• Branchless Banking as way to Reduce Cost and Increase Access – CGAP
• Role of Government and National Microfinance Strategies – CGAP
• Microfinance in Africa: A Greenfield Approach - Christoph Diehl from Access Holding
• Rural Micro Enterprise Financing in Africa – A Neglected Area Because of a Focus on Agriculture? - Makarimi Adechougou
• Micro Finance and Global Finance Crisis? - Pierre Claver Damiba
• Enabling Low Income Entrepreneurs to Access Affordable Finance – What Can Africa Learn From India Experience? - Satish Pillarisetti
• Challenges and Opportunities of Inclusive Microfinance in International Crisis Context - Dr Fofanah
• Savings – Led Microfinance: The Great Imperative in Times? - Rotimi Nihinlola
• Funding Trends for Donors and Investors in Africa and Key Issues in Aid Effectiveness – CGAP
• Performances of Microfinance Sector in Africa - Audrey Linthorst, Mix Market
• Performances of Microfinance in WAMO area - Charles Cordier, Mix Market
• How Microfinance can Provide Financial Services to Rural Micro Enterprises in Africa - Pr Soulama
• Institutional Analysis to Understand the Growth of Microfinance Institutions in West African Economic and Monetary Union - Arvind Ashta

Overall the conference was a great success and we will be sure to attend it again in the future!

Should you require more information on this conference please visit the following website: www.microfinance.up.ac.za or should you have any questions or queries please do not hesitate to contact us at Tel: 0861 51 41 31 or e-mail us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it