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African bank scorecard: The top ten banks in Africa with the highest Return on Equity
In an earlier report, we examined African banks with the highest profits, revealing that Nigerian banks were trailing their counterparts in Egypt and South Africa, despite a year of record-breaking profits for Nigerian lenders. This piece explores which country’s banks performed best in terms of Return on Equity (RoE), Return on Assets (RoA), and Return…
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South Africa scraps VAT hike as coalition tensions flare
The reversal follows weeks of tension between the African National Congress (ANC) and its main coalition partner, the Democratic Alliance (DA), which opposed the VAT hike both in parliament and in court.
Kenya’s central bank to scrap risk-based pricing model as it eyes more transparent lending
The Central Bank of Kenya is moving to replace its risk-based lending model with a benchmark-based system anchored to the central bank rate, aiming to improve transparency and rate transmission.
Access to Finance in Nigeria: Multiple account ownership, among others
Access to finance is key to both individual and national economic growth. There are 64.9 million Bank Verification Numbers in Nigeria as of January 2025, from 44.5 million in 2021, a 45.8% increase in 3 years. The number of active bank accounts more than doubled in 3 years, from 133.5 million in 2021 to 311.5…
Nigerian banks rake in $748.2m as digital boom, inflation push up fees
Notably, digital banking charges made up the largest portion of earnings from fees and commissions for most of the reviewed banks.
Kenya, Ethiopia ink trade deal to unlock $123m regional corridor
The new agreement lays the groundwork for strong regional ties—one that could help cushion the continent from the ripple effects of the intensifying trade tensions between the world’s largest economies.
Zambia to finalise debt relief talks by September but China deal stalls
So far, the copper-rich nation has reached final agreements with France and Saudi Arabia, but deals with other key creditors — including its largest, China — remain unresolved.
Botswana eyes private-sector growth with AfDB’s $1bn support
The new focus aligns with recent calls by the World Bank for Botswana to urgently diversify its economy, unlocking sustainable growth opportunities.
Four leading Nigerian banks lost $5.2m to fraud in 2024 amid digital transaction surge
Last year, electronic payment transactions soared to a record $702.6 billion, crossing the quadrillion threshold in naira and surpassing the 2023 figure by a whopping 79.6%.
What a US-China trade war means for African economies
As the US-China trade war deepens, Africa finds itself caught in the crossfire—grappling with imported inflation, falling commodity prices, and rising debt risks. This piece unpacks the continent-wide implications of the unfolding tariff tensions.
Gambia to access fresh $16.8m from IMF as economy expands 6%
The economic growth is fuelled by a rebound in tourism and construction activities, easing inflation and a declining debt burden.
Egypt’s FDI soars to $46.1bn, dwarfing Nigeria and South Africa
The latest figures mark a turnaround in Egypt’s FDI – which stood at $10 billion in 2023 – driven by growing investor confidence, improving macroeconomic indicators, and an aggressive push for private-sector-led growth.
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