Nairobi hosted SAM 2025 (African Inclusive Finance Week) from 13th –17th October 2025 at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC). Framed as a pan-African platform for financial inclusion, the event brought together regulators, microfinance institutions, savings and credit co-operatives , fintechs, development partners and investors to accelerate practical solutions that expand access to affordable, resilient finance across the continent. By hosting this event, Kenya demonstrated that it plays a pivotal role as a regional hub for inclusive finance, innovation and policy dialogue.
Why SAM 2025 mattered
SAM 2025 was designed as more than a conference. It was a working week of deal-making, product showcases, training and policy engagement focused on turning ideas into adoptable solutions for underserved populations — especially smallholders, women, youth and informal enterprises. The programme emphasized not only what needs to be done (better credit products, digital channels, micro insurance, climate finance) but how to deploy these solutions sustainably through partnerships between the private and public sectors.
Programme highlights: from Innovators’ Village to high-level policy debates
SAM’s week-long schedule wove technical workshops, plenary debates, deal rooms and an innovation marketplace. The innovators’ village was a dedicated space for early-stage and scale-stage fintechs and social enterprises to demo tools for financial inclusion, from last-mile digital onboarding to cost-effective agent networks and micro-insurance products. The village facilitated live demonstrations, investor meetings and matchmaking to speed pilot deployments. Organisers positioned it as an opportunity for innovators to showcase solutions, connect with partners and investors, and contribute to a more inclusive financial landscape.”
During the policy and regulatory plenaries, senior regulators and government representatives discussed enabling frameworks that balance financial safety with innovation. Sessions covered national digital ID integration, responsible credit reporting, and how regulators can foster safe digital finance ecosystems that reach remote and low-income customers without increasing systemic risk.
With climate shocks hitting smallholder incomes, multiple sessions focused on climate-smart finance; agricultural insurance, weather-index products, and blended finance models to finance resilient agricultural infrastructure. This was under the climate and green finance streams.
There were also practitioners led hands-on clinics covering risk management for microfinance institutions ( MFIs), product design for MSME credit, digital agent network management, and micro insurance claims processing. These practical skill sets were aimed at improving operational outcomes for grassroots lenders.
The week also included curated investor pitch sessions and bilateral meetings to accelerate funding for viable pilots. Several start-ups and community finance aggregators used the forum to secure pilot partners and investor interest. This was under the investor and deal rooms platform.
Partnerships and local ownership
The week was organized with a strong partnership approach: national institutions (including Kenya’s Ministry for Cooperatives & MSME development), AMFI – K ( the umbrella body of microfinance institutions in Kenya ) and partner organizations played critical roles in shaping content and mobilising local stakeholders. The Government of Kenya welcomed delegates and positioned SAM 2025 as aligning with national priorities for MSME growth and cooperative strengthening, reinforcing Nairobi’s role as an inclusive-finance convening hub.
What participants took away
Across sessions there was a consensus around three practical priorities. First was the need to start with the user. This underscored the need for product design to reflect the cash flow realities of small businesses and smallholder farmers. In this regard, payment frequency, seasonality, and transaction costs matter as much as headline interest rates.
Secondly is the need to blend digital with human touch. This is because whereas mobile channels unlock scale, agent networks, group-based lending and local trust mechanisms are still fundamental to last-mile adoption.
The third priority is to de-risk through partnerships. Donors, impact investors and MFIs can lever risk-sharing and first-loss facilities to catalyse private capital into unfamiliar rural markets.
Innovators reported constructive investor dialogues, MFIs returned with practical lessons from the clinics, and regulators left with clearer industry priority areas . This was a set of concrete next steps rather than mere statements of intent.
Notable on-site moments
The Innovators’ Village stood out for the energy and real-time piloting opportunities it created; several startups left with prospects for multi-country pilots. Additionally, high-level speeches and government endorsements signaled political backing for inclusive finance as a national priority, which helped attract stronger donor and private-sector attendance.
Why partners and investors should care
SAM 2025 demonstrated that inclusive finance is moving fast from concept to operational solutions. Its stories were rich for media. From human scale impact (farmers accessing climate insurance) to hard-edged business angles (how MFIs balance credit risk and growth). For investors, the forum offered a vetted deal-flow and a chance to shape pilots with committed local partners. The format — combining demos, policy dialogue and investor matchmaking, is an attractive blueprint for high-impact conventions across Africa.
The road ahead
Delegates left SAM 2025 with clear priorities: scale what works, stop piloting in isolation, and adopt common standards for customer protection and digital onboarding. The challenge for stakeholders is now operational: convert the momentum into country-level rollouts, harmonized regulatory frameworks and replicable business models that sustainably reach millions more Africans with relevant financial solutions.
