Only 26% of Women Entrepreneurs in Pakistan Have Bank Accounts, Says SBP Governor

At the Women Entrepreneurship Day (WED) event on Tuesday (November 19), Jameel Ahmad, governor of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), pointed out that women business owners in Pakistan make up just 26% of bank accounts and borrow less than 10% of the total.

Successful women entrepreneurs, members of civil society, banks, international and local partner institutes, and other stakeholders came together at the event to affirm SBP’s commitment to supporting women in the economy.

Women Entrepreneurship Day Celebration Led by SBP

The governor of the SBP emphasized the need to empower women in the country’s economy by bridging the gap in financial inclusion and addressing issues such as limited access to markets, mentorship, and finance. Despite all of this, he said, women in Pakistan have proven to be resilient in fields like technology, manufacturing, and agriculture.

Ahmad additionally discussed the development and praised the work of banks for giving about Rs24 billion to more than 20,000 businesses run by women from July 1, 2024, to November 10, 2024.

Through its Banking Services Corporation branches, the SBP also held more than 50 awareness sessions, educating more than 1500 women entrepreneurs on the country’s funding opportunities. Financial institutions should collaborate with groups like USAID and the United Nations Women to reduce the gender gap in economic participation, according to the SBP governor.

At the WED event, notable women business owners and financial institutions were honored for their efforts to empower women economically.