Pan-African banks are under growing pressure to deliver strong shareholder returns while financing the continent’s economic transformation. Jeune Afrique and The Africa Report’s 300 Finance Champions rankings highlight this tension between financial performance and economic impact, revealing that the continent’s most profitable banks are not always those making the greatest contribution to development. How can banking leaders balance profitability, risk management and support for corporates, SMEs and strategic infrastructure projects? And what will it take for Africa’s banking champions to remain competitive while driving the continent’s long-term growth?