African Guarantee Fund visits Helsinki
A delegation from the African Guarantee Fund (AGF) led by CEO Felix Bikpo visited NDF on Thursday.
The visit came shortly after NDF officially joined AGF as its newest shareholder in April and served to reinforce the close collaboration between the two institutions.
Pasi Hellman, NDF Managing Director, noted during the meeting, “NDF warmly welcomes the opportunity for continued close collaboration with AGF on the launch and roll-out of green guarantees.” AGF CEO Felix Bikpo added, “it is thanks to NDF that we take this new emphasis on green finance, and we are here in Helsinki to acknowledge this good partnership.”
In connection to AGF’s visit in Helsinki, NDF also facilitated meetings for the delegation with representatives from the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Finnvera.
AGF was established by the AfDB together with the governments of Denmark and Spain to promote access to finance for SMEs in Africa through provision of partial loan guarantees. France joined as a shareholder in 2015 and NDF in April 2016.
Since its launch in 2012, AGF has reached 35 countries in Africa, transacted more than $200 million in signed guarantees with more than 60 partner banks and established a widely-recognized brand and business model. AGF guarantees have opened up access to finance for more than 1000 SMEs, translating into more than 11,700 new jobs, sustainable incomes for thousands of households and a growing tax base across the continent.
In 2013, AGF was named Best SME Finance Company in Africa by the International Finance Magazine and Best Financial Institution for Financial Inclusion in Africa at the annual African Bankers’ Awards.
