ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses the impact of information and communications technology (ICT) in microfinance, using Pakistans microfinance banks (MFB) sector as an example. The suggestions in the chapter can be used as a set of best practices for MFBs anywhere in the world that may be making ICT decisions in the future. As Pakistan's financial services industry (FSI) sector was being privatised, the distribution of financial services started becoming more urban-centric. The Pakistan banking industry took a major turnaround twenty years ago. Until then, the banking sector was dominated by five state-owned banks National Bank of Pakistan (NBP), Habib Bank Limited, United Bank Limited, Muslim Commercial Bank and Allied Bank Limited. The chapter suggests that an area that may revolutionise microfinance banking is mobile banking. The first set of transactional systems, which need to be looked at, are the CRM systems.
