CGAP, Symbiotics Partner to Monitor COVID-19’s Impact on Microfinance

CGAP and Symbiotics launched a partnership this week to track and analyze the performance of hundreds of microfinance institutions across the world over the next six months, in an ongoing effort to shed light on how the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting the microfinance sector.

The COVID-19 pandemic has put the microfinance sector under considerable strain, as economic slowdowns have made it difficult for many borrowers to repay their loans. While CGAP’s earlier research on the crisis helped dispel concerns about an imminent liquidity crisis, there are ongoing concerns about microfinance institutions’ portfolio quality, solvency, and ability to continue serving excluded customers amid pressures of the pandemic.