Latest articles from Africa

African banks continue to fail to realise growth potential

June 30, 2011

The banking landscape in Africa remains a case of potential unrealised, as its financial institutions' share of the Top 1000's overall assets and Tier 1 capital dipped slightly. However, the lowering of the average cost-to-income ration in the continent did provide some good news.

Angola on the map

Angola vows to make good use of its oil revenues

June 1, 2011

High oil prices have put Angola in an economic position that is the envy of most developing countries. However, Angola has been in this situation before. This time its government is vowing not to repeat the mistakes of the past.

State-owned oil company Sonangol to tap capital markets

Private sector key to protecting Angola from shifts in commodity prices

June 1, 2011

A fall in oil prices brought Angola to its knees two years ago. A deal with the IMF has helped the economy to stabilise and signs of growth can be seen in Luanda, but to avoid a repeat of such economic hardship, more structural reforms are needed to make the country attractive for business.

InterContinental Hotels is building a 400 room hotel with casino in Luanda

Investors overcome Angola's bureaucracy

June 1, 2011

Angola is increasingly attracting foreign investment, as companies start to look beyond the nation's onerous bureaucracy to its strong investment potential, political stability and increasing transparency.

Angola's oil industry

Exploitation of ultra-deep water blocks set to multiply Angola's oil wealth

June 1, 2011

New measures have been put in place to ensure Angola's local economy benefits from moves allowing international oil companies to develop the country's newly licensed deep-water reserves.

Bonds in Angola have been issued in the local currency, Kwanza

Angola's booming economy bodes well for Eurobond

June 1, 2011

It has been a long time coming, but bankers are hoping Angola will be finally be able to issue sovereign bonds and raise at least $500m on the Eurobond market, thanks to the country's recent strong economic performance. 

Africa offers huge returns on investment for foreign institutions

June 1, 2011

A cocktail of an under-developed banking industry, favourable macroeconomic conditions and return on equity forecasts of up to 45%, means sub-Saharan Africa is now a highly attractive proposition.

duffuor cropped

Ghana's finance minister plans to spend oil wealth wisely

May 4, 2011

Ghana's finance minister Kwabena Duffuor tells Brian Caplen how he is taking measures to ensure that his country's new oil wealth is spent on securing its long-term economic prosperity.

TOTM Afren

Afren’s high yield bond attracts energy and emerging market investors

May 4, 2011

Afren's high-yield bond issue earlier this year attracted interest from emerging market investors as well as specialist energy players, two investor groups who rarely overlap in the bond markets.

Banco de Fomento Angola

Angolan business offers a lifeline for Portugal's banks

May 4, 2011

Portuguese banks have found that investment in its former colony Angola has provided growth at a time when its own domestic market is facing recession.