devinitorg/iati-policy-markers huggingface dataset:
Grooming MF Loan The proposed project will support the expansion of Grooming People for Better Livelihood Centre (Grooming Centre), which is a company limited by guarantee that was registered by the promoters in 2007. Grooming Centre provides credit and savings services to its target market of micro entrepreneurs, who are mostly women that run small-scale trading and production businesses. Grooming Centre also works with partners to provide health and educational services to its clients. It currently serves over about 300,000 clients across 17 of Nigerias 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory and is expected to reach more than 800,000 clients during the life of the project. 1) The project will provide long-term access to finance for microenterprises, including low-cost savings services, which will have positive effects on income generation, employment and growth in Nigeria. 2) Grooming''s focus on rural/peri-urban areas will reach excluded low-income populations - who are mainly women - which other financial institutions, including most MFIs, struggle to reach sustainably. 3) By supporting Grooming Centre, the project will further encourage the formalization and regulation of microfinance in Nigeria.
Access RSF Project The proposed project will provide access to financial services to small and medium-size companies in Nigeria through an investment package aimed at supporting the scale-up of the SME banking operations of Access Bank Plc (Access Bank or the Bank) by providing a risk sharing facility, on a portfolio of SME distributor loans, for primarily women-owned businesses. The project is expected to make a contribution to the financial sector and economic development in Nigeria. The expected development impact is summarized below: 1) Increase Access to Finance for underserved SMEs The project will increase Access to Finance for SMEs, including women-owned businesses that are currently underserved in Nigeria.   2) Capacity Building of SMEs The RSF project will assist the distributors to professionalize their businesses by providing relevant financial and non-financial training that will cover areas such as (a) financial management, (b) business planning, (c) inventory management as well as (d) soft skills / people management skills. 3) Demonstration Effect The Bank''s increased lending to underserved segments has the capacity to contribute to market transformation through continued lending to the target segments beyond the life of the project and demonstrate to the market that these segments can be banked profitably in Nigeria. 4) Job Creation The project will support job creation as they will provide financing to small and medium enterprises, which play a key role in economic development and employment 5) Replication Potential The RSF project has significant replication potential as the large retailing company will use this as one of its pilot projects for distributor financing, with the potential to expand the distributor partnership with banks to other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.
GTFP STERLING B. The proposed project consists a trade line guarantee with Sterling Bank Nigeria (the Bank). The project will support the Banks strategic plan to grow its international trade business in its target sectors (Health, Education, Agribusiness, Renewables, and Transport). The project is processed under IFCs Global Trade Finance Program (GTFP), which extends and complements the capacity of banks to deliver trade financing by providing risk mitigation in markets where trade lines may be constrained. Project Impact:     Stakeholder Effects  IFCs GTFP will provide trade finance support to Sterling Bank and  consequently to the Banks customers thereby promoting trade for both critical corporates and SMEs in Nigeria. By joining the GTFP, the Bank will have access to a network of 400Correspondent Banks (CBs). This is expected to help boost the profile of the Bank and open doors for more future engagements with the CBs beyond trade. This Project will consequently allow the Bank to offer better terms to its clients which includes SMEs.          Contribution to Market Creation:     Resilience  GTFP builds, protects, and deepens trade finance networks in lower income/IDA and fragile and conflict-affected countries, by continually enabling individual trade transactions to take place, which slowly builds resilience of trade networks, trade, and income to these economies. This support is especially critical in the maintenance of liquidity and essential goods when the market is facing shocks (most recently triggered by COVID-19). GTFP also ensures that the flow of essential goods and finance is maintained, preventing a potential crisis and further building resilience in the market.
WCS Crisis Response Union Bank Nigeria Plc The proposed investment consists of a one-year, renewable unsecured senior loan of up to US$30 million to Union Bank of Nigeria PLC (Union Bank or Bank) under the FIG COVID-19 Emergency Response Working Capital Solutions Envelope (WCS Envelope). The WCS Envelope is designed to provide funding to existing IFC client banks in emerging markets that will then extend new trade-related or working capital loans to companies whose cash flows have been disrupted by the global outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. The WCS facility will support Union Bank in increasing its lending to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) particularly in the healthcare, food and trading sectors to allow them strengthen operations, maintain employment and access critical raw materials. All projects under the COVID-19 Facility share the same development thesis that, by supporting its clients' capacity to sustain operations during this acute shock, IFC best positions the private sector to support the economic recovery process, shortening the time it will take for the most vulnerable to return to their traditional income-earning opportunities.
GTB II Project The project consists of a line of credit of up to $20 million to Guaranty Trust Bank, Plc (GTB or the bank), the fifth largest commercial bank in Nigeria in terms of total assets and one of the three AAA rated banks in the country. The project's main objective is to address the scarcity of term finance in Nigeria, which has forced Nigerian commercial banks to rely on their capital, or take the maturity risk in order to finance longer-term projects. The lack of term funding results in unsustainable levels of maturity mismatches in the banking system, lost opportunities for financial sector development and lower national economic growth.  Despite a recent improvement in political stability and a commitment to market-oriented economic reform, Nigeria has yet to attract a level of foreign investment in line with the size of its economy. This is creating a critical constraint in the countrys development goals, particularly as significant investments are needed to upgrade private sector productive capacity and operations to sustainable levels, and finance the privatization of major industries which the government has planned.  The proposed investment allows IFC to partially address these constraints by making available foreign exchange term resources through an efficient financial institution.
FCS Risk Envelope Bar Magen The proposed investment consists of a senior secured A Loan of up to USD 4.5 million to Bergman Industries Limited (BM Group or the Group), leading animal feed premix manufacturer and feed additives distributor with operations in Israel and Nigeria. The investment will support BM Groups USD 4.9 million expansion in Nigeria in (i) increasing premix production capacity by 3000MT and concentrates production capacity by 2000MT in Nigeria; (ii) increasing the warehouse capacity by 2,600 m2; (iii) setting up a state-of-the-art laboratory; (iv) expanding the on-ground technical support team and enhancing the market outreach; and (v) meeting permanent working capital (together, the Project). The Project claims are stakeholders (farmers) as the primary claim via the provision of increased access to quality and affordable animal feed additives, and economy-wide effects on value added and job creation as the secondary claim. Beyond the project level, IFC expects the investment to promote market competitiveness in the livestock sector in Nigeria, by strengthening, through local production, the availability of key feed complements, such as salt licks, mineral blocks, and concentrates.
AEF Telipoint Nigeria Limited SUMMARY OF PROJECT INFORMATION (SPI)    Project Name		Nigeria - Andchristie Company Limited    Region			Sub-Saharan Africa    Sector			Communication    Project No		007964    Company Name	Andchristie Company Limited    Description of Company and Purpose of Project:  Andchristie Company Limited is one of the five operators granted a license by the Nigeria Communications Commission to offer private telephone payphone services in Nigeria.  This is consistent with the Governments philosophy of privatization.  Successful operation of this payphone service will provide a much needed service to the public.    Technical Partner and/or Major Shareholders: Andchristie Company Limited is owned by Dr. Folarin Gbadebo-Smith, a dentist turned entrepreneur.  He runs a first-class dental clinic, and is non-executive chairman of Baker Marine Nigeria Limited which leases marine equipment to the oil industry.  Dr. Smith will oversee the day-to-day management of the company.    Project Cost Including Proposed IFC Investment:  Total project cost is estimated at N36.6 million (US$0.426 million equivalent).  IFC has been asked to provide a loan of US$180,000.     Location of Project and Description of Site:  The payphone service will be provided within the Lagos metropolis.  Andchristie may expand to other zones in future.    Environmental Category and Issues:     This is a category B project according to IFCs environmental review procedure.  Environmental and occupational health and safety issues associated with this project include:  wireline right-of-way, waste disposal, PCBs, employee safety and training and office fire protection measures.  ACL, does not have plans for land acquisition, or creation of any new right-of-way access.  ACL will not handle or produce any hazardous materials or radioactive substances.  Harmful solid or liquid wastes will not be produced, stored or release to the environment.  ACL, does not currently have nor will it install electrical equipment containing PCBs.  Workers safety programs are designed to comply with World Bank health and safety requirements and relate to training and provision of personal protective equipment.  IFC will ensure ongoing compliance with World Bank guidelines during the life of the project by evaluating monitoring reports submitted annually to IFC by ACL, and by conducting periodic supervision.    The Environmental Review Summary is expected to be available at the Public Information Center by March 14, 1997.       Date SPI sent to PIC:		March 11, 1997    For additional information contact:  Corporate Relations Unit -   	telephone: (202) 473-7711   	facsimile:  (202) 676-0365  Environmental documents for this project are available at http://www.ifc.org and from the World Bank InfoShop (http://www.worldbank.org/html/pic/aboutinfo.html).
Azura Edo IPP The Azura-Edo Independent Power Plant (IPP) is a 450 MW gas-fired open cycle power plant located in the North Eastern outskirts of Benin City in Edo, Nigeria (the Project). As of July 2013, the plant is estimated to cost around US$[654] million, and to achieve commercial operations by late 2016. This would make it one of the first IPPs to come online in the country in over a decade. The Azura-Edo IPP benefits from the full support of the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) and is currently negotiating a tripartite agreement to be signed between Azura, the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading PLC ("NBET") and the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Finance ("MoF") wherein the MoF will back-stop the payments owed to Azura by NBET in the event of a termination of the Power Purchase Agreement. In addition, Azura is one of 14 IPPs nominated by the MoF for participation in a PRG series proposed by the World Bank and MIGA is also considering providing political risk insurance for the Project (including breach of contract cover). IFC has been mandated to co-arrange the Development Finance Institution (DFI) debt tranche with FMO, and is expected to invest an A loan of up to US$125 million for its own account, as well as co-mobilizing the balance of required DFI funding. The Project is expected to have the following development impact: - Demonstration effect: supporting a pioneering IPP under the umbrella on-going sector reforms in Nigeria. This is expected to set a precedent for future IPPs not only the country but the region;  - Access to energy: the project will help avert load-shedding in a country where only 20% of the electricity demand is estimated to be satisfied by the grid; - Reduction in reliance on diesel generators: private enterprises are currently suffering from expensive and environmentally unfriendly diesel generators;  - Reduction in electricity costs: gas offers a lower cost option to power the country; - Viability of the gas sector: the Project will contribute to supporting gas producers, ensuring maximum utilization of gas to fuel power generation and reducing of gas flaring in the country.  - Economic and Fiscal benefits: the country will also benefit from taxes from the Project and from the increased economic activity brought about by additional power supply.
Helios Towers The project consists of the nationwide expansion of a shared telecommunication infrastructure network owned by Helios Towers Nigeria Limited (Helios Towers or the Company). Helios Towers Nigeria Limited was established in 2005 to provide GSM and fixed wireless operators in Nigeria with an economically viable and environmentally friendlier outsourced alternative to in-house construction, maintenance and ownership of telecommunication tower sites. The company builds and maintains a network of telecommunications towers, and leases space on the towers to multiple GSM, fixed wireless and other providers of wireless services under long-term lease agreements. Expand mobile telephony access: With the construction of additional tower sites, existing mobile operators will be able to expand the reach of their services both in terms of geography and capacity. In addition, since Helios Towers is not affiliated with any operator, and as its business model is predicated on sharing and collocation, the benefits of expanded access through Helios Towers will also be available to new market entrants. Collocation reduces the incremental cost of expanding service for all carriers thereby allowing them to service remote and economically less developed areas where ARPU and usage will be lower.     Increase competition: The presence of Helios Towers in the Nigerian market will allow smaller and newer wireless operators to benefit from reduced barriers to entry as they will have access to leased tower facilities rather than having to build their own.    Expand access to other ICT technologies:  Helios Towers will be building a tower network that is capable of supporting not only mobile cellular networks, but also wireless broadband and backhaul networks, thereby improving the penetration of these technologies.    Contribute to mitigating environmental impact and Climate Change: This project will provide a cost effective opportunity to telecommunication operators to reduce their carbon emission footprint by sharing infrastructure. A significant benefit of sharing tower infrastructure arises from the material, energy and emissions savings that ensue from building only one tower instead of three or four.  The most immediate impact is on the visual environment, where the removal of two or three unnecessary towers creates an immediate visual benefit. The savings in resources are more significant, as only one-third or one quarter of the steel, concrete and other building materials are necessary for a shared tower. Finally, in areas of uncertain power supply like Nigeria, the ability to use only one back-up power generator to serve an area where there would formerly be 3 or 4 back-up power generators for separate towers, results in immediate and continuing reduction of harmful emissions.
BOP LAPO Project The proposed investment consists of a up to three-year senior loan of US$8 million in local currency to LAPO Microfinance Bank (LAPO MFB), a long-standing IFC client, under the Base of the Pyramid Program (BOP Program), part of the IFC Fast Track COVID-19 Facility. The BOP Program is designed to enable LAPO MFB to provide much needed local currency funding to micro and small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) that have been negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria. The Project is supported by IDA PSW Blended Finance Facility. The project will help provide financing to microenterprises in Nigeria. The most significant expected project-level outcome for the project is access to finance for microenterprises to support economic activity and resilience in the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis. Beyond the project outcome, IFC anticipates that the Project will support resilience amongst microfinance and BOP finance providers catalyzing investments in the sector by demonstrating the viability of lending to BOP providers and crowding in other sources of international and domestic finance in support of these lenders.
FCMB II Project IFC proposes to provide First City Monument Bank Plc (FCMB or the Bank) with (i) a senior loan of up to $50 million which will be targeted at SMEs in the Health, Education and Agribusiness sectors; and (ii) straight equity or quasi equity of up to US$25 million. The loan component of the Project will have a 7-year maturity and a grace period of 2-years. The Project is expected to provide the Bank with significant long-term financing to help it pursue its strategic objectives within the constraints of the global financial crisis. The Project is also expected to assist FCMB with further enhancements to the Banks corporate governance and risk management practices. Further, it is also expected to send positive signals to the market, aiming at improving confidence within the Nigerian financial sector, as well as with international investors. Stamp of approval and support of Nigerian banking sector: IFC involvement in the Project demonstrates (i) commitment to the banking sector of Nigeria at times of adverse market conditions and validates the long-term viability of a strong tier II bank; and, (ii) Providing and mobilizing scarce long-term funding under the current market conditions; and (iii) Provision of an integrated advisory program that will assist the Bank in the areas of corporate governance with particular focus on risk management.
UBA Metropolitan Life Insurance Company The proposed Project intends to strengthen and expand the operational capacity of UBA Metropolitan Life Insurance Limited (UBA-Metlife or the company), a new Bancassurance company specializing in life insurance in Nigeria.  The company was established in January 2007 as a result of a joint venture between UBA Insurance, a wholly owned subsidiary of United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA) of Nigeria and Metropolitan Holdings Group (UK), a wholly owned subsidiary of Metropolitan Holdings Limited (MHL) of South Africa.  The investment envisages an equity contribution of up to $3.0 million by IFC and corporate governance support for the company at a key stage in its development. The potential developmental, institutional and capacity building impact of the project is high.  The proposed IFC investment in UBA-Metlife will support the development of the insurance industry in Nigeria which is currently undergoing reforms. The Nigeria life insurance sector, in particular, is underdeveloped and the partnership between UBA, a strong local partner, with the world-class industry expertise of MHL, has the potential to transform an existing but dormant local insurer into a viable, world-class life insurer.  
Insurance companies have a disproportionately high impact on economies because they are necessarily large investors who directly affect the general economy through their operations.   In order to settle claims that may arise, insurers invest excess premium income to build a portfolio of financial assets and income-producing real estate which can then be called upon to pay off any future claims that arise.   A vibrant insurance industry can be a reliable source of long-term capital, which is lacking in Nigeria and other African countries.   The provision of quality insurance is therefore crucial for the development of a healthy and dynamic private sector and long-term capital markets.
Eleme Fertilizer The Project (Eleme Fertilizer) consists of the construction of a nitrogenous Fertilizer Complex at the existing Eleme Petrochemicals site in Port-Harcourt, Nigeria. The project will include an Ammonia plant, a Urea production plant, supporting boundary infrastructure, and an 84km gas pipeline from the gas suppliers facilities. Total plant capacity will be 2,300 metric tons per day (MTPD) of ammonia, and 4,000 MTPD of granulated urea. A new port terminal will also be constructed at the nearby Onne Port to support the fertilizer complex; however the port is not being financed by the IFC. With exception of the external natural gas facilities, all main associated off sites and utilities necessary to make the fertilizer plant self-supporting are already in existence at the Eleme Petrochemicals Complex.   At completion, Eleme Fertilizer will supply the domestic fertilizer market in Nigeria, and also export directly into the international urea market. The plant is expected to be completed and commence operations by early 2016.  The IFC plans to support the project by providing senior debt, mobilizing 3rd party funding, and potentially making an equity investment. The expected development benefits from the project are: (i) Food Security:  Contribution to the development of the agricultural sector and unlocking its potential, thereby reducing Nigeria''s dependence on imports. The project will increase fertilizer production which promotes intensive agricultural production, and will improve crop yields. (ii) Economic Diversification:  Increased value addition to a natural resource in Nigeria (i.e. natural gas), and advancement of the downstream chemicals sector. The project supports regional fertilizer capacity in Sub-Saharan Africa, which is a growing market heavily reliant on imports. (iii) Employment: Creation of significant direct and indirect employment opportunities. (iv) SME Development:  Removal of obstacles that prevent farmers with small land holds from efficiently optimizing their crop yields and maximizing their incomes. (v) Current Account Impact: Foreign exchange savings by import substitution. (vi) Demonstration Effect: The project is expected to have a positive signal for other foreign investors on the government''s commitment for economic diversification and agricultural transformation project
Socketworks Socketworks Limited (Socketworks or the company) is a privately held Nigerian limited liability corporation.  It was established in June 2002.  It has been supported by the IFC since this time by way of capacity-building and advisory support services through the African Project Development Facility (APDF).  Socketworks is a software and outsourcing company that aims to provide packaged ICT solutions to its clients.  In the education market, it has developed software (trademarked CollegePortal) that has been endorsed by the Nigerian Universities Commission as the most suitable management software for Nigerias universities.  Socketworks packaged solution for universities is helping universities automate their processes (eg: student admissions and registration, course selection, course management, exam management, facility management) that are currently done manually and is providing internet access that would not otherwise be available.  These services are making an enormous difference to universities in Nigeria that otherwise have no ICT systems.  Socketworks is currently focused on the Nigerian markets, but has ambitions to expand to other countries in Africa.