National Economic Empowerment Fund (Neef) has said it has so far loaned out over K120 billion to Malawians as at the end of last week.
Neef Chief Executive Officer Humphrey Mdyetseni said the government-owned lender has, so far, reached out to 175,000 clients.
The Neef chief said the loans have had a significant impact on borrowers, including contributions to job creation.
Mdyetseni said Neef loans have helped to create over 500,000 direct and indirect jobs.
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He added that Neef has helped to reduce household poverty, especially among women, who constitute 70 percent of its beneficiaries.
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According to Mdyetseni, Neef has also contributed to nearly 10 to 20 percent of total grain production this year through Farm Inputs Loans.
The Neef boss observed that repayment rate stands at over 80 percent, hence meeting the minimum target required for sustainability of the fund.
The government is expected to launch the second phase of Neef and medium term strategy in Balaka on Thursday in which it targets to disburse K350 billion more funds in five years, up to March 2029 to cover over 300,000 beneficiaries.
“We target to contribute to the middle income status of Malawians that benefit from the programme.
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“In addition, we target to create in excess of two million jobs through the programme, having already created over 500,000 to date,” he said.
Catholic University finance lecturer Ferdinand Mchacha on Monday said neef is a good instrument for the country’s economic development.
“However, for it to have a real impact on reducing poverty, we need safeguards against political interference in the loans’ disbursements and recovery processes,” Mchacha said.
He observed that Neef should go beyond loan disbursement and should include business support in its package.
According to Mchacha, getting a loan does not guarantee business success.
Currently, Neef boasts of countrywide outreach with loan officers in every constituency and branch offices in every district and sub district.
Scotland-based economist Velli Nyirongo said to enhance Neef’s efficacy in poverty reduction, ensuring transparency and communication is paramount.
“Possibly electronic applications process to reduce red tape and bureaucracy. This necessitates the clear articulation of loan requirements, application procedures, interest rates and repayment terms.
“Disseminating this information through a dedicated website and local outreach programmes can significantly reduce information asymmetry and foster public trust,” he said.
