Togo will host this year's African Microfinance Week (SAM) from 16-20 October. In February, The Togolese Ministry for Financial Inclusion, MAIN (Microfinance African Institutions Network) and ADA met in the heart of the capital Lomé to lay the groundwork for the event's launch.

Mazamesso Assih, Togo's Minister of Financial Inclusion and the Informal Sector, expressed his great ambition as to the scale of the event:

“SAM 2023 will be a bastion of hope for all involved and an important step in the development and strategy of the inclusive finance sector throughout West Africa. In Togo, financial inclusion is a priority. The banking penetration rate is high compared to neighbouring countries in the region. We also share our experience in implementing best practices with regional actors.  SAM will be a great opportunity to gather all key actors to discuss the regional strategy for the advancement and promotion of the sector.”  
 

MAIN, headquartered in Lomé, has also committed to actively collaborating with the Togolese ministry to make sure the event runs smoothly, notably by mobilising members of its African network.  

 Yombo Odanou, Chair of MAIN:

“We are proud to host SAM 2023 in Togo, the capital of microfinance in Africa and the birthplace of inclusive finance.” 

ADA has co-organised SAM since the first edition in 2013 with the aim of assembling major representatives of Africa's financial and sustainable inclusion sector under one roof. 

All in all, nearly 1,000 professionals from the inclusive finance sector are expected at the international conference centre in October. Various events, activities, workshops, training sessions, conferences, an Investor Fair and an Innovators' Village will be held over five days.   

Registration for the event will open soon on the SAM website.