Africa

The creation of an African free-trade area is the first step towards a pan-African single market of 1.2 billion people.

Ivory Coast has the fifth highest percentage of adults with mobile money accounts in the world.

While economic growth in Mali shows promise, escalating violence is scaring off foreign investors.

One of Africa’s largest economies is trying to stay afloat in the face of growing challenges.

The rand and South African stocks rallied on the news of Zuma's removal as the republic's president, but challenges remain for his successor.

Overall global FDI declined last year with developed economies seeing a decrease in flows even as developing economies saw an increase.

Serious problems detract from Algeria’s foreign direct investment appeal, although the government is making efforts to improve.

Zimbabwe’s new leadership faces a difficult macroeconomic environment. 

Even as General Electric looks to overhaul its business by selling assets and cutting back on capital expenditure, it is stepping up its investment in Africa—Nigeria in particular. 

Tunisia’s economic problems highlight the need for foreign direct investment to shore up its economy. 

After 37 years of autocratic rule under former President Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe has been left broke.  Rebuilding promises to be a long, costly and tough process.

Isaac Kamuta, group head, Cash Management & Client Services, Ecobank, spoke with Global Finance Editor Andrea Fiano regarding the bank's mission to facilitate cross-border payments within Africa and the evolution of banking technology and regulation in African countries.

Standard Bank's Head of  Global Trade, Vinod Madhavan talks with Global Finance Editor Andrea Fiano at Sibos 2017 about how volatility in Africa is easing up with the rise in global commodity prices leading to a lesser degree of risk for doing business in Africa.

Riad Salamé, governor of Lebanon’s central bank, discusses economic conditions for his country and the region in general, and how Lebanon benefits from its “strong, healthy and conservative banking sector.”

Tunisia’s economic problems high-light the need for foreign direct investment to shore up its economy. 

These are the ratings for central bank governors from the Middle East and Africa regions in 2017. 

Africa is emerging from last year’s slump, but slow growth of its largest economies is impeding recovery for many of its corporates.   

African nations seek to scale the value ladder, moving beyond cheap labor and commodity exports. That takes steely commitment.  

In the following pages we explore some of Africa’s contradictions. Eighty percent of Africans are unbanked; at the same time seven of the world’s fastest-growing economies are in this region.

The fintech sector is heating up across sub-Saharan Africa. Foreign investors are paying close attention and providing start-ups with the capital needed to get off the ground.