The next 12 months will be crucial for Kenya as it holds its first elections since its tumultuous 2007 polls. It will also try to recover quickly from last year’s spike in inflation, which sent interest rates soaring. Nonetheless, the country's economy remains strong and many are optimistic Kenya can reach middle-income status by 2030.
Latest articles from Paul Wallace
Glory days for corporate market
March 1, 2012Europe’s corporate bond market started 2012 at a ferocious pace as investors flocked to what they increasingly perceive as a safe haven. While issuance may slow later in the year, few believe the market is a bubble waiting to burst, and there is a widespread feeling that its heyday will last a good while yet.
Finance minister Diby looks to revitalise Côte d’Ivoire
March 1, 2012Côte d’Ivoire’s economy was battered by the near civil war that broke out following elections in late 2010. The new government has made a good start in trying to repair the damage, but its finance minister knows it has more to do to regain the trust of foreign investors.
FIG issuers feel the heat in MTN market
March 1, 2012Europe’s MTN market has proved to be accessible for most SSAs and corporate borrowers since the start of the year. But it is a different story for bank issuers, most of whom are restricted to selling covered bonds.
Rwandan banks seek to boost profitability amid high growth
March 1, 2012Rwanda’s banks have benefited from the country’s rapid development since its genocide less than 20 years ago. With a high unbanked population and expectations of continued near double-digit economic growth, their rise is unlikely to slow soon. But the banks will have to boost their efficiency quickly if they want their profitability to match that of other east African lenders.
Tech-savvy Kenyan banks set the template for financial inclusion
February 1, 2012Kenya’s banks have proved themselves to be among Africa’s savviest and most innovative when it comes to tapping the unbanked market, which has helped them and their profits expand quickly in the past few years. And with a significant proportion of the market still unbanked, not to mention a relatively small number of mortgages in the country, there is still room for further growth.
What Kenya can teach the world about banking to the masses
February 1, 2012The example set by Kenya's banks when it comes to not only reaching the unbanked, but also making a profit from them, is something that the rest of the world should look to emulate.
Senegal looks to preserve good habits as tense elections loom
January 3, 2012Senegal has established itself as one of sub-Saharan Africa’s most sophisticated economies in the past decade. Lacking the natural resources prevalent in many of the continent’s other fast-growing countries, its pillars of growth have been political stability and prudent fiscal management. But next month’s elections will put its credentials to the test.
Senegal’s lenders prepare for expansion
January 3, 2012Senegal’s banking system is one of Africa’s most competitive. Yet there is plenty of scope for its lenders to expand, thanks to fast economic growth and a large unbanked population. If this rise is managed carefully, Senegal will soon be firmly entrenched as the main banking hub in French-speaking west Africa.
Africa on the brink of the big time
January 3, 2012African banks have grown substantially in the past few years. Those from South Africa are still the biggest, but they are far from being the most profitable.