EP 356 - Are Traditional Banks Failing the Majority of Pakistan’s Middle Class? - Kabeer Naqvi

Microfinance plays a crucial role in promoting financial inclusion, particularly in underserved regions like Pakistan. By leveraging mobile technology and branchless banking, microfinance institutions can reach populations with limited access to formal banking, offering them essential tools like mobile wallets, credit, and savings products. However, financial inclusion is more than just providing access to banking—it is closely tied to social inclusion.

In this episode, Kabeer Naqvi, Chairman of the Pakistan Microfinance Network, shared his journey in using microfinance to drive financial inclusion in Pakistan.

Some of the topics Kabeer covered in detail include:

• Launching EasyPaisa revolutionized financial inclusion in Pakistan by leveraging mobile penetration to bridge its banking gap.
• The critical link between financial AND social inclusion, particularly in Pakistan's rural areas.
• By immersing himself in the communities his microfinance initiatives were intended to help, Kabeer gained an authentic understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by local populations.
• While microfinance serves small entrepreneurs and commercial banks cater to large businesses, a significant gap remains in the support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The "missing middle" represents a crucial area for future development, as addressing it could lead to broader economic growth and stability.
• An estimated 30 million children in Pakistan are out of school, a figure that presents a formidable challenge to the nation’s future workforce. Naqvi expressed his concern that without proper education and vocational training, Pakistan’s youth could become a liability rather than an asset. His call to action for both the private sector and government is clear: education reform and support for underserved populations must be a national priority.