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The latest reading fell below market expectations, with analysts now seeing a higher likelihood of another rate cut by the South African Reserve Bank’s (SARB) during its next policy meeting on Thursday.
Nigeria’s newly gazetted tax laws—set to take effect on January 1, 2026—have triggered intense public debate, much of it driven by misconceptions about key provisions.
With less than 7 months to the CBN’s March 31, 2026, recapitalisation deadline, Nigeria’s mid-sized lenders are scrambling to shore up their balance sheets, deploying a mix of capital raises, mergers and asset sales to meet the new minimum capital thresholds.
NGX strength broadened: ASI 140,545.69 (+1.13% WoW), market cap ₦88.922trn, 3.188bn shares for ₦99.685bn, breadth 70–22. Financials led volume; Oil & Gas carried value.
Among the eight major banks reviewed, I&M Group posted the highest jump in after-tax profit at 36%, followed by Equity Group at 17% and NCBA at 12.6%.
Under the Nigeria Tax Administration Act (NTAA), the use of a Tax Identification Number (Tax ID) will be mandatory for a range of activities, from banking to business registration, beginning January 1, 2026.
Business activity across Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Egypt, Uganda, Zambia, and Ghana moved on diverging paths in August, according to the latest S&P Global Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI).
CBK noted that reported fraud cases more than doubled to 353 from 153, with the value of attempted fraud rising from KSh 680.9 million ($5 million) to KSh 1.9 billion ($14 million).
President Mahama of Ghana’s move to scrap barriers to foreign investors is a clear bid to open up the state after more than a decade of the Investment Promotion Act, which curbed inflows into the country.
According to DealMakers Africa, rising global interest rates, a strong US dollar, and geopolitical tensions drove international capital toward safer, higher-yielding markets, leaving African deals in retreat.
Nigeria’s open rails turned cashless payments into a trillion-naira success. Card exclusivity now risks undoing the gains, raising costs and stifling competition.
NGX slipped 0.94% as value rose 5.7% on selective big-ticket trades. Breadth stayed weak, but Thursday’s broad rally and financials’ heavy volumes set the tone for a tactical week ahead.
Ethiopia’s long-awaited stock market, the Ethiopian Securities Exchange (ESX), has begun to take shape after decades without a modern capital market. Officially launched on January 10, 2025, the exchange is central to the country’s financial liberalisation drive.
Rand-driven cost relief gave firms much-needed breathing space, but tepid demand and renewed job losses show that momentum remains uneven.
Although the rise in local currency suggested growth, the shilling’s sharp depreciation—averaging KSh 139.9 per dollar in 2023 versus KSh 117.9 in 2022—led to an 8.77% ($972.8m) drop in dollar terms, reversing the 11.9% ($1.3bn) gain recorded in 2021.
There are growing expectations that the US Federal Reserve could cut interest rates in September 2025—a move that may pave the way for cheaper external borrowing for Nigeria before year-end.
NGX closed −0.50% as turnover cooled (3.20bn shares, ₦85.40bn) and breadth narrowed (32 gainers vs 57 losers). Dividend plays led. New week: watch 141,000 on ASI and flows in banks/consumer names now.
The Islamic lender also assured that it is on track to meet the October 31, 2025, deadline for migration to ISO 20022, saying its core payment infrastructure is already enabled for the new standard.
Tracking the ups and downs of Egypt’s biggest companies just became easier. On August 17, 2025, the Egyptian Exchange (EGX) unveiled its first-ever mobile app, giving investors real-time access to market data directly from their phones—anywhere in the world.
Despite the uptick, inflation remained comfortably within the South African Reserve Bank’s 3-6% target band, leaving room for more rate cuts.