Discussing Gender-Inclusive Financial Products in Nairobi

GOPA AFC recently hosted a roundtable in Nairobi, bringing together financial institutions and stakeholders like KfW to discuss “Leading Change – Building Gender-Responsive Financial Products.” Angela Wambugo, Director Advisory Services at Women’s World Banking, highlighted the strong business case for serving more women and shared strategies to close gender gaps in access to finance.

Participants exchanged insights on reaching women entrepreneurs and other underserved segments. Key success factors included robust data management, targeted marketing, and, most importantly, a gender-intentional approach—where management sets and pursues clear targets for serving women clients.

While digital finance such as mobile money has narrowed access gaps, Angela emphasized that disparities remain in formal products like loans and insurance. GOPA AFC’s Jane Onoka, Oliver Schmidt, and Betty Syanda shared how we support financial institutions in East Africa through gender assessments, policy guidance, and capacity building—including our new e-learning course. Participants also noted the strong cross-selling opportunities that arise when women build trust with their financial providers.