Absa AFMI index shows reform helps in hard times
Two out of three African countries have not improved or slipped backwards in their ratings among the 29 countries scored in the 2025 edition of the Absa Africa Financial Markets Index (AFMI), now in its ninth year. However, 10 out of 29 countries increased their overall scores, a slowdown from 2024 when 23 countries increased […]
Africa’s transition to renewable energy – the inside story
Some 600m Africans need urgent access to electricity, and resources to finance this are scarce. This fuels the debate on whether Africa – where some countries are rich in fossil fuels such as coal, gas and oil – should focus their energy investment in renewable and sustainable energy. However, Africa is also one of the […]
Sanlam and Absa to merge as ZAR 1trn fund manager
Absa Bank and Sanlam, both headquartered in South Africa, have announced plans to merge their investment management businesses. The merger could finalize in the first half of 2022 once suspensive conditions have been met and approvals received, including from the Competition Commission. The new company will have ZAR 1 trillion ($67 billion) of assets under […]
Africa’s DFIs proud at banking awards gala
Two leading African development finance institutions led the pack at this week’s African Banker Awards. Bank of the Year 2019 goes to Afreximbank, making giant steps in growing profitable operations in financing and promoting trade within and from African and launching many key new products in the past 18 months. African Banker of the Year is Admassu […]
Africa calls for regional integration and financial infrastructure
South Africa’s Minister of Finance, Pravin Gordhan said the continent needs to take advantage of having a market of 1bn people and some of the world’s fastest-growing economies: “You can’t ignore a continent like Africa. In the next 15-20 years the focus on Africa will sharpen.”