Absa Bank Kenya has announced a new partnership with Women’s World Banking, aiming to enhance financial inclusion and promote the economic empowerment of women entrepreneurs across the country. The agreement was formalised during the Women’s World Banking partners’ breakfast event in Nairobi.
The collaboration is designed to strengthen Absa’s Women in Business (WIB) initiative, drawing on Women’s World Banking’s extensive experience in providing financial services tailored to women. Through this partnership, Absa will offer a range of innovative financial and non-financial solutions specifically designed to meet the needs of female entrepreneurs.
The joint initiative is set to drive the growth of women-led small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by enhancing access to credit, delivering capacity-building programmes, and developing products that directly address the challenges faced by female business owners.
Speaking on the partnership, Absa Bank Kenya’s Director of Business Banking, Elizabeth Wasunna-Ochwa, described the collaboration as a significant milestone in the bank’s commitment to promoting inclusive finance.
“This partnership creates the perfect platform that combines Absa’s local experience with the Women’s World Banking’s global expertise to empower women entrepreneurs with the tools, training, and financial boost they need to grow sustainable businesses. At Absa Bank, we have been investing in programs and partnerships that support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with a particular focus on women entrepreneurs. We are excited about this partnership with Women’s World Banking as we work towards reinforcing Absa’s role as a leader in inclusive finance.”
Since launching its SHE proposition, Absa Bank has supported over one million women entrepreneurs in Kenya, offering them a mix of financial and non-financial support designed to help them scale their businesses.
According to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two partners, the agreement provides for multiple collaborative projects, each guided by a specific Statement of Work (SOW). The initial focus will be on supporting women in agribusiness, a sector that remains underfunded especially for women from marginalised communities.
Mary Ellen Iskenderian, President and CEO of Women’s World Banking, expressed her excitement about the collaboration.
“At Women’s World Banking, we are thrilled to partner with Absa Bank on this innovative initiative to expand women’s access to finance and capacity-building. This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to supporting women entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey, unlocking the market opportunities they need to grow sustainable businesses. As we look ahead to the first project focused on empowering women in the agricultural sector, we see tremendous potential to drive long-term economic growth, resilience and prosperity for women and their communities,” she said.
As more financial institutions embrace gender-responsive banking models, the partnership between Absa and Women’s World Banking is expected to drive meaningful change by delivering practical solutions and addressing the systemic barriers that have long limited women’s access to finance.
