Pan-African banks could become the go-to providers of correspondent banking for intra-African trade and exports to Africa – spaces dominated by international clearing banks. Yet thin FX reserves, weaker credit ratings than global peers, and risk perceptions hinder progress. As domestic banks expand into global financial hubs, fill gaps left by global bank exits, and back systems like PAPSS that bypass third-party currencies, how can they grow trade finance share without over-relying on DFIs? What past experiences, especially in former Asian emerging markets, could prove valuable?
Key points
- Trade within Africa: How can SME collateral and credit data gaps be tackled so African banks can lead in clearing cross-border SME trade finance?
- Trade to Africa: What trust barriers and governance will make African banks the correspondent partner of choice for global exporters to Africa?
- Which embedded finance and innovative digital offerings can position domestic banks as leaders?