Request for Proposal : Unlocking MSME and Smallholder Access to Finance in Ethiopia: A Preliminary Assessment of Kifiya’s SAFEE Program

Kifiya Financial Technologies –Request for Proposal

Background

Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and smallholder farmers in Ethiopia are key contributors to employment and economic growth but face persistent challenges in accessing formal credit. Structural barriers, including limited credit histories and records and the informal nature of many enterprises, combined with policy and regulatory gaps—such as stringent collateral requirements and the absence of tailored financial frameworks—restrict access. Process-related obstacles, including lengthy loan procedures, low digital literacy, and weak linkages with financial institutions, further discourage engagement. The enabling environment is also underdeveloped, with limited credit infrastructure, poor data-sharing systems, and low penetration of inclusive

The SAFEE program, a collaboration between Kifiya Financial Technology and the Mastercard Foundation, addresses these barriers through AI-powered, data-driven digital lending. SAFEE provides uncollateralized credit to MSMEs and smallholder farmers, emphasizing scalability and sustainability. To date, Kifiya has disbursed over 21.9 billion Birr to more than 395,941 MSMEs across Ethiopia, with special attention to women-led enterprises, rural communities, returnees, refugees, and persons with disabilities.

Despite this outreach, there is limited systematic evidence on whether SAFEE effectively reaches all segments of its target market, particularly rural MSMEs and smallholder farmers, and whether the program provides products that cater to the diverse needs of different MSME types. This study seeks to answer: Is SAFEE effectively serving rural populations and areas? Are all types of MSMEs being served, ensuring sufficient product and service diversity? What factors enable or constrain SAFEE’s performance in terms of outreach, efficiency, and inclusion?

Refer to the below link for a full Detail of the proposal.

https://infomindsolutions-my.sharepoint.com/:w:/g/personal/rabi_muluken_ethiojobs_net/ETPmByB_FX9DihL2zfcTHQgBIe_4Xvxb0M3tsliIaU0Ngw?e=weBeSv

Eligibility Criteria

Interested firms or consortia must demonstrate the following:

• Relevant Experience: Proven experience in conducting financial sector assessments, MSME and smallholder finance studies, and rural development research in Ethiopia or East Africa. Key research personnel should have 7–10 years of experience in similar assignments.
• Language Capacity: Ability to design and conduct research in English and local languages to ensure inclusive data collection.
• Subject Matter Expertise: Strong expertise in livelihoods, economic research, MSME development, rural finance, financial inclusion, and digital financial services.
• Data Management Capability: Capacity to manage field data collection, quantitative and qualitative analysis, and report writing, ensuring high-quality outputs.
• Ethical Compliance: Familiarity with ethical research practices, safeguarding, and data protection, including confidentiality of respondents and data security protocols.
• Inclusivity: Demonstrated commitment to gender equality and social inclusion, with approaches that ensure meaningful participation of women, youth, persons with disabilities, and disadvantaged groups throughout the research process.

Evaluation Criteria

• Technical expertise and relevant experience (40%)
• Inclusivity of Team Composition i.e. Representation of women, refugees and displaced persons, and persons with disabilities among the key personnel proposed by the firm.(10%)
• Methodology and approach (20%)
• Financial proposal (including all travel, equipment, taxes, etc.) required to complete study & deliverables (30%)