AFD Commits Additional EUR 3 M Into ADFI To Boost Digital Financial Inclusion In Africa

The Agence Française de Développement (AFD) has committed an additional EUR 3 M to the Africa Digital Financial Inclusion Facility (ADFI) in a move that signals France’s continued support for expanding access to digital financial services across Africa.

This new contribution brings AFD’s total support for ADFI to over EUR 5 M. The funds aim to support innovative, technology-driven financial tools that can reach people typically excluded from traditional banking. These include services such as digital credit, savings, insurance, and mobile payments—tools that are increasingly essential for economic resilience and growth across the continent.

The funding will support ADFI’s efforts to develop and scale digital solutions that connect underserved populations—particularly women, youth, and small businesses—with credit, insurance, and other essential financial tools.

Despite progress in digital infrastructure and mobile money penetration, nearly half of Africa’s adult population remains excluded from the formal financial system. ADFI targets this gap through strategic investments in digital public infrastructure, policy and regulatory frameworks, and product innovation, with a cross-cutting focus on gender inclusion and institutional capacity building.

Launched in 2019, ADFI was established by the African Development Bank in partnership with AFD, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Luxembourg’s Ministry of Finance.

Structured as a blended finance facility composed of a multi-donor Special Fund, ADFI is comprised of a USD 100 M target envelope and USD 300 M in partner grant money and debt-funding from the African Development Bank.

Since its inception, the initiative has grown into a multilateral platform, later joined by France’s Ministry for the Economy and Finance, the Women’s Enterprise Finance Initiative (We-Fi), and India’s Ministry of Finance.

Together, these partners are working to make digital financial services more accessible, secure, and affordable, particularly in rural and climate-vulnerable areas that traditional banking systems have struggled to reach.

AFD expects its contribution to help scale projects that have demonstrated early success, with a focus on replicability across countries and regions. “Developing digital financial services is a key pathway to reach financially excluded populations in Africa,” said Audrey Brule-Françoise, Head of AFD’s Financial Systems Division. “Through our continued collaboration within ADFI, we aim to promote access to digital financial services that are tailored to diverse needs and delivered in a responsible manner.”

The African Development Bank sees this funding as a timely boost. “Digital financial solutions are key to improving the quality of life of people in Africa and reducing the gender access to finance gap,” said Mohamadou Ba, Manager of the Bank’s Financial Intermediation and Inclusion Division. He added that the Bank plans to expand ADFI’s reach and deepen its impact, especially in areas most affected by poverty and climate vulnerability.

AFD’s involvement in ADFI is part of a broader commitment to international solidarity and sustainable development. With projects in over 115 countries, AFD plans to continue supporting public institutions, NGOs, and private actors working to reduce inequality and improve access to opportunity. Its support for financial inclusion is aligned with its strategic focus on social equity and climate resilience.

As Africa’s digital transformation, AFD and its partners aim to accelerate the progression by closing the inclusion gap, unlocking potential, and making financial systems more accessible, equitable, and future-ready.