The much anticipated African Inclusive Finance Week 2025 (AIFW 2025) was officially launched on March 21st at the Serena Hotel, Nairobi, setting the stage for a transformative gathering of financial stakeholders from across the continent. The event, formerly known as Africa Microfinance Week, has evolved into a broader platform that embraces financial inclusion beyond traditional microfinance, incorporating impact investors, fintech innovators, and other key players in the sector.
Speaking at the launch, called Laura Foschi, Executive Director at ADA (Appui au Développement Autonome), highlighted the evolution of the conference over the past fifteen years. Initially designed as a collaborative space for microfinance networks to hold their general assemblies under one roof, the event has since grown into a continental hub for discussions on financial inclusion investment., and innovation. “ In each edition, we learn something new and bring in different actors. We changed the title from ‘African Microfinance Week’ to ‘African Inclusive Finance Week’ to reflect this broader scope while maintaining the brand recognition of SAM,” Szelest explained.
Seventh edition
The seventh edition of AIFW, scheduled for October 2025, will span five days, offering a dynamic mix of conferences, networking opportunities, investors fair, and innovation showcases. According to Szelest, previous editions have attracted over 1,300 participants from 54 countries, including 36 African nations, making it one of the largest gatherings for financial inclusion on the continent.
Kenya’s selection as the host for the 2025 edition underscores its position as a regional leader in financial inclusion, mobile banking, and digital lending. The country’s robust fintech ecosystem, spearheaded by innovations like M-Pesa, has made it a benchmark for digital financial products. With stakeholders from commercial banks, microfinance institutions, impact investors, fintech startups, NGOs, and policymakers expected to attend, AIFW 2025 is poised to be a milestone event for Africa’s financial inclusion landscape.
“We are proud to bring this prestigious event to Kenya. This is a fantastic opportunity for our microfinance institutions, digital lenders, and investors to engage with global players in the sector,”she said.”The event rotates between anglophone and francophone countries, and after the last edition in Togo, we were thrilled to win the bid for 2025,” said Caroline Karanja,CEO, AMFI-K.
She also highlighted the crucial role of government support, with representatives from the Ministry of Cooperatives and MSMEs pledging their commitment to ensuring the event’s success. Caroline noted that hosting the event in Kenya will boost the local economy, attract international investors, and foster partnerships that will drive affordable financing solutions.
What to Expect at AIFW 2025
The event will be structured around two main conference days (Tuesday and Wednesday), featuring plenary sessions and parallel discussions on key financial inclusion topics. A scientific committee will curate the discussions, ensuring relevance and depth in tackling current financial sector challenges.
In addition to the main conference, the week will also feature:
Training Sessions & Workshops (Day 1) – Capacity-building sessions tailored for financial institutions, policymakers, and innovators.
Investor and Innovator Fairs (Thursday & Friday) – Speed networking between investors and potential investees, alongside exhibitions of groundbreaking financial technology solutions.
Awards and pitches – Recognizing outstanding innovations that drive financial inclusion.
Networking and gala dinner – Providing an opportunity for deeper collaborations beyond formal discussions.
“We have created spaces where investors can meet potential investees in a structured ‘speed-dating’ format, and innovators can showcase their solutions through exhibitions and awards,” Szelest noted.
This year’s theme, “Re-orienting on Clients: Meeting Upcoming Challenges in Inclusive Finance”, emerged from feedback during the 2023 edition. The focus will be on ensuring that financial inclusion efforts remain centred on end-users—both existing and new clients—while adapting to emerging challenges.
With hundreds of financial institutions, policymakers, investors, and innovators expected to attend, the African Inclusive Finance Week 2025 promises to be a game-changer for the industry. Participants can look forward to high-level networking opportunities, knowledge-sharing sessions, and investment matchmaking events that will shape the future of inclusive finance in Africa.As preparations gain momentum, stakeholders are encouraged to save the date for October 2025 and be part of this transformative financial inclusion event.
