CDC tied up with Northern Arc for PBI to support MFIs

Northern Arc Capital partners CDC Group to create first pooled bond issuanceThe CDC Group, the UK government’s development finance institution, has made a partnership with Northern Arc Capital Limited(NACL), for investing a total of Rs 320 crore under pooled bond issuance (PBI) to support six leading Indian microfinance institutions(MFIs).CDC’s Rs 320 crore investment in a pool of NACL is its first-ever transaction in India .

  • The investment will support MFIs by providing over 6.3 lakh micro-loans to low-income households (primarily female and rural borrowers).
  • CDC Group (“CDC”) will invest in the non-convertible debentures (“NCDs”) of six leading Indian microfinance institutions: Annapurna Finance, Arohan Financial Services, ASA International, Asirvad Microfinance Limited, Chaitanya India and Fusion Microfinance.

Objective: To facilitate finance to the small businesses especially for women to empower them by uplifting their livelihoods.

Key points:

  • After this, it is planning to invest in the same structure in future.
  • In 2021 CDC is aiming to invest over $1.75 billion in companies in Africa and Asia

About Pooled Bond Issuance(PBI):

  • It is a kind of bond issuance in the form of pooled funds, in which pooled funds are the funds in a portfolio from many individual investors for the purposes of investment.
  • Examples:  Mutual funds, hedge funds, exchange-traded funds, pension funds, and unit investment trusts.

Recent Related News:

On December 21, 2020, The Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a $40 million (around Rs 295 crore) loan to Northern Arc Capital Ltd(NACL) for on-lending to microfinance borrowers, Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and affordable housing finance companies in India.

About CDC Group:

Establishment – 1948
Headquarters – London, United Kingdom
CEO – Nick O’Donohoe

About Northern Arc Capital Limited(NACL):

It is a leading digital debt platform that addresses the credit requirements of the underbanked in India.
Note – underbanked refers to individuals or families who often rely on alternative financial services such as money orders, and payday loans rather than on traditional loans and credit cards.
Establishment – 2008
Headquarters – Chennai, Tamil Nadu
CEO – Kshama Fernandes





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