Private banks in Algeria have until now been highly profitable, as the energy-rich country was awash with liquidity. But a government that failed to hedge its hydrocarbon wealth against a price drop is now cutting public spending and tightening trade finance rules, driving private banks to rethink their business strategy. Richard Nield reports.

Though South Africa's economy is cooling, its banks are continuing to perform strongly. For some, growth is coming from operations elsewhere in Africa, while for others its is stemming from the domestic market. James King looks at the strategies being employed to keep the country's lenders buoyant in a slow-growth environment.