Conversation With | Balancing economic and social reforms
Social safety nets like universal healthcare require financing. Ambitious projects, like those undertaken by the Moroccan National Social Security Fund (CNSS) illustrate the challenges and opportunities of aligning financial investments with social development initiatives. Understanding this delicate balance between financial considerations and social development goals is imperative to create strategies for sustainable and inclusive growth […]
Conversation With | Building African unicorns with global reach
Access Holdings & Coronation Group Chairman Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede said in September that if Africa aspires to have high-value investor stocks like Apple that have propelled Warren Buffet to stardom “we have to build our own gazelles and unicorns”. Amine Bouabid’s Bank of Africa is championing private sector development particularly in the agricultural, pharmaceutical, automotive, transport […]
Central Bank Governors: Forging a consolidated financial landscape
Nigeria and Kenya are spearheading financial sector consolidation by proposing to increase minimum banking capital requirements tenfold. In other countries, similar initiatives are emerging more timidly. This leaves many markets full of smaller players that lack the means to fund complex, growth-essential projects. How can central banks achieve consolidation without hurting MSME lending in the […]
Beyond restructuring: How to build an equitable architecture for African debt?
Africa faces the highest external public debt borrowing and servicing costs in the world, with debt service obligations of $163 billion this year. According to a number of experts, this is partly due to an unfairly inflated perception of credit risk and inappropriate international banking rules. At the same time, restructuring mechanisms such as the […]
Trade finance: Bridging Africa’s correspondent banking gap
African commercial banks based in low-credit-rating countries are finding it difficult to establish appropriate correspondent banking relationships with international banks, many of which have withdrawn from Africa. Dr. Sidi Ould Tah, President of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), Admassu Tadesse, Group President and CEO of Eastern and Southern Africa’s Trade and […]
Disrupters Club | Innovating under pressure: The future of African fintech payments
Africa’s mobile payments market is on the cusp of explosive growth—750 million users and revenue jumping from $3.5 billion to $20 billion by next year. But in the past six months, new regulations have started to shake the fintech landscape. Kenya’s recent data protection fines targeting major players could restrict access to vital cross-border data, […]
SWIFT alternatives: Fuelling faster and cheaper international payments
Access via sign-up on the event app or by invitation only. Stable coins, PAPSS, regional payment systems like Buna, fintech providers, a BRICS payment system, blockchain and CBDCs have all been put forward as alternatives to SWIFT, the world’s dominant method to facilitate cross-border payments. These options offer possibilities to tackle inconsistent and often high […]
Insurance’s role in a climate-altered future: From risk to resilience
Access via sign-up on the event app or by invitation only. Weather-related disasters impacting Africa surged by 75% from 2014 to 2023, exacerbating the disaster risk insurance gap. Insurers could play a crucial role in helping businesses and individuals absorb losses from flood, drought and climate-induced epidemics. But data gaps, limited risk transfer tools, and […]
IDFC & BOAD Side Event | Climate Finance: An Innovative Solution for the African Financial Industry
Access by invitation only. This private event will bring together high-level experts and key speakers, including Serge Ekué, Co-President of the IDFC and President of the West African Development Bank (BOAD), and Adama Mariko, Secretary General of FiCS and Deputy Director for Mobilization, Partnerships and Communication of the Agence Française de Développement (AFD). Discussions will […]
Side Event Capital Markets | Developing Market Liquidity: What New Products and Markets to Offer Investors?
The African financial market is undergoing significant transformation, with a market capitalization of approximately $1 trillion in 2023, experiencing annual growth of 5% to 10% in certain regions. In 2022, bond issuances in sub-Saharan Africa exceeded $30 billion, reflecting a growing interest in debt as a financing tool. Despite this momentum, challenges remain in terms […]