Kenya’s Equity Bank is determined to launch a new mobile banking product that has the potential to shake up an industry dominated by the creator of M-Pesa, Safaricom. Experts say that while Equity could present serious long-term competition for Safaricom, it has its work cut out. 

Ecobank’s reputation took a battering last year as it became mired in a well-publicised corporate governance crisis. Its new chief executive, Albert Essien, has restored some calm, and he tells Paul Wallace how he hopes to make the kind of returns that will entice more international investors to buy its stock.

Awash with hydrocarbons and boasting a highly liquid banking sector, Libya's potential is vast. However, continued political and social unrest, combined with the dominant position of state-owned banks, mean that the country's private sector banks have numerous obstacles preventing them from realising this potential.

Investors are willing to diversify into African corporate debt, despite emerging market volatility, as was proved by Goldman Sachs' $400m Tier 2 transaction for Access Bank.

Rwanda’s macroeconomic performance over the past decade has been impressive, and the central bank governor says that developing the country’s bond markets is crucial to ensuring that remains the case.