Special Report African Banking and Finance

Fintechs and ‘neobanks’ take on the establishment; how South Africa’s lenders rode out first Covid storm; Moroccan banks target francophone west Africa; oil price shocks test resilience of Nigerian banks; and refugees in Kenya learn to bank on their future

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• Fintechs and ‘neobanks’ aim to plug continent’s banking gap

  Traditional operators are fighting to retain their leadership role amid cross-border race for market share

  
• Oil price shocks test mettle of Nigerian banks

  Exposure to fossil fuels and regulatory shifts hold back top lenders

  
• How South Africa’s banks rode out the first Covid storm

  Before the Omicron variant hit, leading players were bouncing back from bad debt and payment holidays

  
• African start-ups offer new lease of life for home and car ownership

  High interest rates make mortgages and car deals too expensive for many potential borrowers

  
• Moroccan banks target francophone west Africa

  Linguistic ties and a shared currency in some sub-Saharan countries have aided expansion

  
• Somalilanders’ remittance businesses thrive worldwide

  Cultural connections and digital channels underpin growth of money transfer services led by ethnic Somalis

  
• Makhtar Diop: Africa’s path to funding sustainable development

  The head of the World Bank’s private-sector arm explains his approach to supporting fragile states

  
• Refugees in Kenya bank on their future

  A small amount of loans is underpinning businesses in camps