Women's Micro Bank
Women's Micro Bank (Mama Bank) is a Papua New Guinea-licensed micro-bank serving 30,000+ unbanked women, rural families, and smallholder farmers through 7 branches and Digicel CellMoni agent banking, offering savings, microloans, insurance, and value-chain-specific investment products.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersPort Moresby, Papua New Guinea
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Women's Micro Bank does
Women's Micro Bank Limited, branded as "Mama Bank," is a licensed micro-bank regulated by the Bank of Papua New Guinea and headquartered in Port Moresby. Founded in 2010 as PNG Women in Business Microfinance Institute Limited and granted its banking license in May 2014, it operates as the first women's micro bank in Papua New Guinea and the Pacific region, and ranks as the sixth women deposit-taking micro bank globally. The institution serves unbanked and underbanked women, rural families, smallholder farmers, and informal-sector micro-entrepreneurs through 7 branches/access points across PNG (Port Moresby, Lae, Wewak, Kimbe, Goroka, Madang, Maprik) and a Digicel CellMoni agent network of more than 1,200 outlets.
The bank's product suite covers seven savings products (Meri Moni, Pikinini, School Fee, Salary, Retirement, Fixed Deposit IBD, Recurring), six loan products (Kwik, Market Meri, Meri Business/SME, Group, Agriculture, Salary), a Meri Life microinsurance product, the Palm Saver investment product co-developed with Bank of PNG, and Business Development and Financial Literacy training services. Underlying technology includes fingerprint-based biometric authentication for fraud prevention and integration with Digicel's CellMoni mobile money platform. Loan products are collateralized against customer savings at multiple factors (up to 5x for group loans), and pricing on Palm Saver offers a 6% interest rate with no transactional costs.
Revenue is generated primarily through interest spreads on microloans and savings products, microinsurance premiums, and training-related fees, with the institution operating on an "Asian Model" that favors attractive savings rates over fee-heavy structures. Distribution is community-led, anchored by partnerships with District Development Authorities (Wewak, Esa'ala, Kerema, West New Britain), Agro Dev Trade, Widow Association, Lus Fruit Mama Association, and PNG Women in Business Foundation, supplemented by embedded provincial credit facilities (cumulative K4M PGK across three districts).
Women's Micro Bank firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Women's Micro Bank
- Legal name
- Women's Micro Bank Limited
- Website
- https://womenmicrobank.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Women's Micro Bank (Mama Bank) is a Papua New Guinea-licensed micro-bank serving 30,000+ unbanked women, rural families, and smallholder farmers through 7 branches and Digicel CellMoni agent banking, offering savings, microloans, insurance, and value-chain-specific investment products.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Women's Micro Bank industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Microfinance / Community Banking
- NAICS
- Depository Credit Intermediation (5221)
- SIC
- Short-Term Business Credit Institutions (6153), Personal Credit Institutions (6141)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Microloans & Working Capital Loans (FSAKAGAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Microenterprise Group Lending (Joint Liability) (FSAKAGAH), Secured Microloans (Community/Nonprofit, Collateralized) (FSAKALAJ), Small Business Banking (Microbusiness/Sole Proprietor) (FSABAAAI)
Keywords
Where Women's Micro Bank is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Port Moresby
- HQ country
- Papua New Guinea
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices8 records
Markets served
Women's Micro Bank business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Interest Income from Loans: Women's Micro Bank generates revenue primarily through interest charged on microloans to women entrepreneurs. Products include Kwik Loan (up to 80% of savings), Market Meri Loan (2-2.5x savings), Meri Business/SME Loan (3x savings), Group Loan (up to 5x savings), Agriculture Loan, and Salary Loan.
- Interest on Savings and Deposits: The bank pays interest on savings accounts including fixed deposits (IBD), recurring deposits, and monthly income schemes. The Palm Saver product offers 6% interest rate with no transactional costs to customers.
- Micro Insurance Products: Meri Life Insurance Product offered as part of the insurance product suite
- Business Development and Financial Literacy Training: BDS training and Financial Literacy Training services provided alongside financial products
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Palm Saver Account - Savings product for Oil Palm Growers |
| Unit Pricing | Monthly | Kwik/Meri Up Loan - Quick loans for informal sector |
| Unit Pricing | Monthly | Market Meri Loan - Business loans for informal women |
| Unit Pricing | Monthly | Meri Business/SME Loan - For informal/formal sector |
| Unit Pricing | Monthly | Group Loan - For group members |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Fixed Deposit (IBD) - Higher interest savings |
| Subscription | Monthly | Pikinini Savings Account - Children's savings |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels6 records
Women's Micro Bank product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Women's Micro Bank (Mama Bank) is a licensed micro-bank in Papua New Guinea that provides savings accounts, microloans, life insurance, and investment products targeted at women, rural communities, and smallholder farmers. The bank operates a branch and agent network, including mobile money integration with Digicel CellMoni, to deliver financial inclusion services across PNG. It also offers business development and financial literacy training alongside its core banking products.
Product overview
Women's Micro Bank (Mama Bank) operates as a licensed micro-bank regulated by Bank of PNG, offering a comprehensive suite of financial products focused on women and their families. The core offerings include seven savings products (Meri Moni Saving/Business Account, Pikinini Savings, School Fee Savings, Salary Saving, Retirement Saving, Fixed Deposit IBD, and Recurring Saving), six loan products (Kwik/Meri Up Loan, Market Meri Loan, Meri Business/SME Loan, Group Loan, Agriculture Loan, and Salary Loan), one insurance product (Meri Life Insurance), and investment products (Palm Saver). Additionally, the bank provides BDS Training and Financial Literacy Training to support customer development. The bank serves informal and formal sector customers with emphasis on women-led businesses and agriculture-based activities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Meri Moni Saving / Business Account Savings account for women to conduct normal banking transactions with unlimited deposits and withdrawals, which can be used as cash collateral for personal and business loans.
- Pikinini Savings Account Savings account for children aged 1 month to 16 years, enabling parents to save for children's higher education; trustee must be mother and funds accessible at age 16.
- School Fee Savings Account Savings account for school-aged students aged 5-16, enabling parents to save for school fees annually or long-term, with withdrawals restricted to January or February.
- Salary Saving Account Savings account for salaried customers via salary deduction, allowing fortnightly deposits toward retirement or long-term goals with no fees and competitive interest rates.
- Retirement Saving Account Account for preserving retirement savings, accessible at retirement or age 60 for a comfortable lifestyle.
- Fixed Deposit (IBD) / Monthly Income Scheme Deposit product allowing customers to earn interest on idle money with different amounts and terms; interest given on maturity with higher rates than other financial institutions.
- Recurring Saving Account Long-term savings product requiring fixed deposits fortnightly or monthly with fixed interest applied until maturity.
- Kwik / Meri Up Loan Quick loan for personal and business needs in the informal sector; customers can borrow up to 80% of savings with maximum processing time of 1 hour and repayment period 3-24 months.
- Market Meri Loan Loan for informal business women needing capital; customers can avail 2-2.5x of their savings with repayment period 6-24 months and maximum 5-day processing.
- Meri Business / SME Loan Loan for informal/formal sector business women needing capital; customers can avail 3x savings with repayment period 12-36 months and 10-day processing.
- Group Loan Loan for group members who can avail up to 5x their savings based on group recommendation and group savings deposit as collateral.
- Agriculture Loan Collateral-free loan for farmers doing commercial farming, available to any farmer with a farming field.
- Salary Loan Personal loan for salaried employees of corporate or public sector, based on take-home salary with maximum 2-day processing.
- Meri Life Insurance Product Life insurance product offered to customers for protection and financial security.
- Palm Saver Innovative investment product developed with Bank of PNG for oil palm growers, offering 6% interest rate with no transactional costs, minimum commitment K20 with no upper limit, and bundled Business Development and Financial Literacy Training.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 30,000 active clients served across PNG with 7 access points
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Women's Micro Bank
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Women's Micro Bank technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature2 records
Women's Micro Bank partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Bank of Papua New Guinea (BPNG)coreBPNG is the central bank regulator that granted Women’s Micro Bank its banking license in May 2014. BPNG partnered with Mama Bank to develop the Palm Saver investment product for oil palm growers, with technical expertise through the Centre for Excellence in Financial Inclusion. BPNG Governor Loi Bakani personally supported the product launch.
- West New Britain Provincial GovernmentcorePartnership to provide financial services to oil palm growers of West New Britain Province through a Memorandum of Agreement. Provincial Government supported inauguration of customer access point in Kimbe in July 2021.
- NCD SME Service CentreminorPartnership with NCD Governor's initiative to support and empower SMEs in Port Moresby. Women’s Micro Bank and Digicel CellMoni provided two-day financial literacy training to over 40 Waigani Market vendors.
- Digicel CellMonicorePartnership enables CellMoni deposit and withdrawal services at WMB branches. CellMoni has over 1,200 agent outlets throughout PNG. Partnership transforms customers from traditional banking to e-wallet, facilitating financial inclusion.
- Agro Dev Trade LtdcoreADT acts as agent of WMB to facilitate financial inclusion products and services in highlands coffee farming regions. Partnership established Coffee Value Chain Rehabilitation Scheme covering Jiwaka, WHP, EHP, SHP, Enga and Hela provinces through cashless model.
- Widow AssociationcoreAssociation of widows partnered with WMB to identify prospective customers and facilitate outreach to women at bottom of pyramid. Association instrumental in opening 3,000+ accounts in Kimbe.
- Lus Fruit Mama AssociationcoreAssociation of women farmers partnered with WMB for customer identification and outreach in oil palm growing regions. Association supported Palm Saver product launch.
- PNG Women in Business FoundationcoreOriginal parent organization (formerly City Mother's Business Foundation, established 2006) that spawned PNG Women in Business Limited and subsequently Women’s Micro Bank as subsidiary.
- Coffee Industry Corporation (CIC)minorStakeholder in highlands coffee farming partnership, represented at MoA signing ceremony with Agro Dev Trade Ltd and WMB.
- UNCDF (PFIP)minorUnited Nations Capital Development Fund (Pacific Financial Inclusion Programme) represented at coffee farmers partnership signing ceremony.
- CEFIminorRepresented at coffee farmers partnership signing ceremony alongside ADT and WMB.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Women's Micro Bank competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- PNG Microfinance Limited: PNG Microfinance is a longer-established PNG microfinance institution, with overlapping lending products to small businesses and informal-sector borrowers. WMB's Operations Manager Rex Noga previously served as Senior Manager there, indicating direct sectoral overlap.
- Grameen Bank: Grameen Bank is the originator of the group-lending, women-focused microfinance model that Women's Micro Bank explicitly cites via the 'Asian Model' framing. It is the conceptual and methodological benchmark for the WMB small-ticket, savings-collateralized credit approach.
- Nationwide Microbank Limited: Nationwide Microbank is one of the few other licensed microbanks in PNG, with a similar deposit-taking and small-loan product mix targeting retail and small-business customers. It is a direct competitor for the same microbank customer segment in PNG.
- MiBank Limited: MiBank is another licensed microbank in Papua New Guinea operating in a similar small-ticket savings and lending segment. It is the most direct local competitor to Women's Micro Bank, serving similar informal-sector and rural customers with a comparable microfinance product set.
Broad incumbents
- Bank South Pacific (BSP): BSP is PNG's largest commercial bank and the dominant deposit-taking institution, including in rural areas. Women's Micro Bank even shares BSP's Waigani building for its headquarters. BSP is the broad incumbent whose retail and small-business banking operations define the competitive landscape WMB operates within.
- ANZ Bank PNG: ANZ is one of PNG's two main commercial banks and competes for retail, small-business, and agricultural-sector deposits and loans. As a broad incumbent, it sets the benchmark for product, interest rates, and digital service levels that WMB must match or differentiate against.
Emerging players
- BRAC International: BRAC International is one of the largest global microfinance and women's economic empowerment operators, with a presence across Asia and Africa. It is comparable to WMB in mission (women's financial inclusion), target segment, and product mix, and represents a possible regional expansion partner or competitive reference point.
- ASA International: ASA International is a listed microfinance holding company operating the Asian-model group-lending approach across South and Southeast Asia. It is comparable to WMB in target customer (low-income women) and methodology (group-lending, small-ticket credit, savings-led), though at much larger scale.
Regional players
- Kada Poroman Microfinance Ltd (KPML): Kada Poroman Microfinance is a PNG-based microfinance institution that Women's Micro Bank's CEO Gunanidhi Das mentors. It operates a similar community-led, small-ticket credit and savings model and is a clear regional peer in the same geography.
Others
- Digicel CellMoni: Digicel CellMoni is WMB's mobile money distribution partner, with 1,200+ agent outlets in PNG. It is an ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor, but functions as both an enabler of WMB's reach and a potential substitute for traditional banking services in the long run.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights8 records
Customer concentration
Women's Micro Bank social profiles
Digital presenceWomen's Micro Bank financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Women's Micro Bank leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Women's Micro Bank funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Women's Micro Bank M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Women's Micro Bank
What does Women's Micro Bank do?
Women's Micro Bank (Mama Bank) is a licensed micro-bank in Papua New Guinea that provides savings accounts, microloans, life insurance, and investment products targeted at women, rural communities, and smallholder farmers. The bank operates a branch and agent network, including mobile money integration with Digicel CellMoni, to deliver financial inclusion services across PNG. It also offers business development and financial literacy training alongside its core banking products.
Is Women's Micro Bank a public or private company?
Women's Micro Bank is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Women's Micro Bank founded?
Women's Micro Bank was founded in 2010. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Women's Micro Bank based?
Women's Micro Bank is headquartered in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, in the Oceania region.
How does Women's Micro Bank make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Interest Income from Loans are the primary driver. The others are interest on Savings and Deposits, micro Insurance Products and business Development and Financial Literacy Training.
Who are Women's Micro Bank's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are PNG Microfinance Limited, Grameen Bank, Nationwide Microbank Limited and MiBank Limited. Broad incumbents are Bank South Pacific (BSP) and ANZ Bank PNG. Emerging players are BRAC International and ASA International. Kada Poroman Microfinance Ltd (KPML) is listed as a regional player. Digicel CellMoni is listed as an others.
Does Women's Micro Bank have an API?
No public API is recorded for Women's Micro Bank.
What industry is Women's Micro Bank in?
Women's Micro Bank's product category is Microfinance / Community Banking. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAKAGAA, Microloans & Working Capital Loans, with a secondary code of FSAKAGAH, Microenterprise Group Lending (Joint Liability). Its NAICS code is 5221 and its SIC code is 6153.