Africa Investments 

The impact of pan-African banks on financial development in sub-Saharan Africa

The Making Finance Work For Africa (MFW4A) initiative and the Development and Economic Growth Research Programme (DEGRP) at the think tank ODI are hosting a short series of webinars based on two recently published DEGRP synthesis reports on the banking and financial sectors in sub-Saharan Africa.

Join us for the second webinar in this series entitled: The impact of pan-African banks on financial development in sub-Saharan Africa. In the latest session, authors Sherillyn Raga and Judith Tyson will present findings from this timely research, and answer questions from the audience.

Across sub-Saharan Africa, there has been a rapid rise in pan-African banks. Major pan-African banks now have a more significant footprint in sub-Saharan Africa than banks from outside the region. Analyzing this expansion pattern, the recently published synthesis report proposes what can be done in light of their increasing economic and systemic importance. The report also indicates how they could be fundamental to Africa’s future financial landscape.

Research on pan-African banks’ contributions to the continent’s financial development remains scarce. Join us to delve into the findings and explore suggested priorities for future research and praxis.

The webinar will provide insights on:

  • Evidence of the impact of pan-African banks, and the current regulatory and financial landscape in which they operate.
  • The lending behaviour of pan-African banks compared to other foreign and domestic banks, such as increasing access to finance for African firms, with the strongest impact on SMEs and young businesses.
  • Priorities and policy implications for financial regulators and central banks, given the role of pan-African banks in increasing banking competition and efficiency while also increasing macro-prudential risks.

African Development Bank Group

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