Abler Nordic Launches Fund V to Scale Financial Inclusion and Climate Resilience
Abler Nordic has launched its new fund, Abler Nordic Fund V, securing close to 100 million USD from owners DNB, Ferd, IFU, KLP and Norfund in its first fundraising round.
Building on 15 years of experience, Fund V will invest in financial institutions that empower low-income households across Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia with access to financial services. The ambition is to raise additional funds for the new fund in the coming year.
"Access to well-designed, fairly priced financial services gives families the opportunity to build a better life. We know it works," says Anders Misund, Chair of Abler Nordic.
"From day one, our investors have been committed to using the capital they manage to make a real difference. After 15 years of investing in small financial institutions in developing countries, we know it’s possible to achieve both strong social and financial results. And we’re confident more investors want to be part of this," Misund adds.
Since 2008, Abler Nordic has raised 470 million USD for investments in developing countries, empowering close to 14 million people with access to financial services that can help them start and grow small businesses and improve their quality of life.
Abler Nordic’s model leverages catalytic public capital to mitigate risk, triggering private investment to help close the $4 trillion SDG funding gap. In Abler Nordic’s Fund IV, public capital from Norfund and IFU was key in mobilizing private investment, which accounted for 60% of the total funding. This approach continues with Fund V, channeling more capital to where it's needed most.
Since inception, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Norad have been key partners, providing grants for two essential risk mitigation mechanisms which have also proven instrumental in attracting private capital.
"Progress in the fight against global poverty has stagnated, driven by the pandemic, geopolitical tensions, and sky-high living costs. At the same time, it is those who have the least who are hardest hit by climate change. To solve this problem, public and private capital must work together – and Abler Nordic has demonstrated in practice how this can be done," concludes Misund.
Abler Nordic’s new fund is an Article 9 fund according to the EU’s new Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR), meaning it will be managed with the aim of achieving both financial and social goals.
The fund will focus on five core impact themes—Financial Access, Financial Resilience, Improved Income and Quality of Life, Climate Adaptation and Mitigation, and Food Security—designed to drive measurable progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals in underserved regions.
One of the key social objectives is to contribute to increased income and improved quality of life. According to a 2024 survey by 60 Decibels, 90% of the 2,000 Abler Nordic customers who participated reported that their income and quality of life improved after gaining access to financial services.
"The Abler Nordic model is not just about investments; the goal is to have an active partnership where we work closely with the companies we invest in to create growth, profitability, and achieve the social goals we have set together. This is the key to long-term success," says Arthur Sletteberg, Managing Director of Abler Nordic.
With its roots in microfinance, Abler Nordic has since expanded its focus to include a wider range of financial services, such as affordable housing finance and small business financing, while continuing its commitment to serving low-income families.
Through Fund V, Abler Nordic will continue to leverage both public and private capital and partnerships to build more sustainable and inclusive financial systems—giving low-income households the opportunity to create a better life.
