Citi Appoints Karim Tannir as Middle East and Africa Cluster and Banking Head Based in Dubai
Citi has hired HSBC's head of banking for the Middle East, North Africa and Türkiye, Karim Tannir as its Middle East and Africa Cluster and Banking Head, based in Dubai from August 2026.
Standard Bank Group reports 12% rise in first-quarter 2026 earnings to R12.3 billion
Africa's largest lender by assets said headline earnings grew in line with attributable earnings in the three months to 31 March and kept its full-year guidance unchanged.
South Africa's proposed exchange controls draw criticism from Afridax founder
Frank Leonette said Treasury's draft Capital Flow Management Regulations would make licensed exchanges the gateway for large crypto deals, raising questions over self-custody, peer-to-peer trading and privacy.
Zenith Bank Completes 100% Acquisition of Paramount Bank Kenya, Entering East Africa
Nigeria's Zenith Bank has completed the full acquisition of Paramount Bank Kenya, marking its first direct foothold in East Africa after receiving regulatory approvals from both Nigeria and Kenya.
CBN Fines Custodian Investment Plc ₦391 Million Over AML and Liquidity Breaches
Nigeria's CBN levied ₦391 million in penalties on Custodian Investment Plc in 2025 for AML failures, liquidity rule breaches, and due diligence deficiencies, filings show.
Rwanda's Bank of Kigali presents BK Open API to clients, opening its systems to fintechs
Bank of Kigali formally showcased its open API platform at a client forum on 2 April, letting fintechs and businesses embed payments and payroll services in their own apps.
Angola's BAI Embraces Finastra Core Platform for Digital Transformation
Banco Angolano de Investimentos is upgrading to Finastra's cloud-first Essence core banking platform, extending a relationship with Finastra of more than 15 years.
Nigeria's Flutterwave Secures Banking Licence, Opening Door to Deposits and Credit
Flutterwave has obtained a Nigerian banking licence, allowing the payments company to hold deposits directly and reduce its reliance on partner banks.
MTN Ghana Completes Separation of MobileMoney Business Into Standalone Fintech Entity
MTN Group completed the statutory merger of MobileMoney Ltd into MobileMoney Fintech Ltd on 31 March 2026, meeting Ghana's requirement for 30% local ownership in e-money issuers.
33 Nigerian Banks Complete CBN Recapitalisation with N4.65 Trillion in Fresh Capital
The Central Bank of Nigeria concluded its two-year recapitalisation exercise with 33 banks raising N4.65 trillion, drawing 72.55% of capital from domestic sources.
RMB Unveils Africa’s First Nature-Linked Bond in South Africa
Rand Merchant Bank has structured Africa’s pioneering nature-linked outcomes-based bond, tying investor returns to verified ecological restoration in Cape water catchments. The R2.5 billion five-year bond was issued by FirstRand Bank, with the International Finance Corporation as lead investor.
Nigeria's CBN Selects Flutterwave and Paystack for AML/CFT Virtual Asset Supervision Pilot
The Central Bank of Nigeria has launched an AML/CFT supervision pilot for virtual asset service providers, with Flutterwave and Paystack among the first participants.