Banking the unbanked isn’t possible without the right underlying architecture. In a recent workshop, BankservAfrica highlighted how various African countries are redesigning their payments systems.  

Large technology companies are “well placed” to disrupt parts of banking in the long term, though lending and depository activities in the West look to be shielded for now, according to a report from S&P Global Ratings.

Vivo Energy has completed the largest African initial public offering in the UK in more than 10 years, with a source close to the trade telling EMEA Finance that long only investors picked up the lion’s share of the deal.

The Coral South Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) project could have huge benefits for the troubled Mozambican economy, says Standard Bank, one of its lenders. 

As disruptive technology becomes more widespread, ever more Africans are embracing mobile banking services. According to Dr Edward George of Ecobank, we will soon reach a tipping point of mass adoption.  

Easy capital market funding for Turkey’s banks and companies both a boon and a worry. 

Al Rayan Bank hit a number of firsts in February to become the only bank outside of a Muslim majority country to print a public Sukuk backed by residential mortgages, and the bank’s treasurer tells EMEA Finance that the deal will hopefully encourage other Islamic banks to tap the market.  

As KYC requirements become more complex, many financial institutions are calling for specialist third parties to save the day.

East African renewable energy provider M-Kopa Solar has raised US$80mn in commercial debt funding, and the company’s chief executive tells EMEA Finance that more loans are likely at the parent company level.

Societe Generale CIB has appointed Jose Enrique Concejo as global head of its financial institution group (FIG), and the new man in charge tells EMEA Finance that widespread optimism is finally making a return to the banking sector. 

Nigeria has become the first sovereign in Africa to issue a green bond, and hopes are growing that other countries will dip their toe into the region’s nascent market.

Bahrain has issued a defiant response to the downgrades of its sovereign debt by a leading credit ratings agency and the decision by the International Monetary Fund to forecast a slowdown in economic growth.