Increasing access to finance for formal and informal businesses in Jordan

Informal Livelihoods Advancement Activity (Iqlaa) is a five-year USAID-funded program supporting Jordan’s Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs). Iqlaع aims to meet the immediate needs of formal and informal MSEs following the unprecedented COVID-19 crisis, while building stable foundations from which they can grow, transform, and build resilience to future shocks. 

Launched in 2022, Expectation State, with Mercy Corps and other implementing partners, will conduct research and analysis to inform evidence-based decision-making in addressing the informality of businesses in Jordan. We will provide tailored technical assistance to firms in order to help drive productivity, expansion, and growth, introducing innovative access to finance solutions across the ecosystem.

Over the coming four years, we will be working closely with the ecosystem policymakers and market players to enable the regulatory environment for developing responsible and inclusive financial services that meet the needs and demand of MSEs. This includes assessing the regulatory environment, proposing policy recommendations and facilitating policy advocacy to enable change. We will assess and support Financial Service Providers, including Microfinance Institutions, crowdfunding platforms and FinTech Providers to facilitate and improve MSEs access to finance. This will involve introducing innovative financing tools and access to finance services that meet the needs of MSEs and provide linkages to international investors. 

Iqlaa is expected to introduce innovative financing tools (FinTech solutions) that will bridge the financing gap in Jordan to better serve MSEs, unbanked and underbanked formal businesses.