News & Trends

The Central Bank of The Gambia has ordered commercial banks operating in the country to begin a phased replacement of non-Gambian employees with suitably qualified Gambian nationals, giving the banks until December 31, 2026 to complete the transition. The directive affects the country’s 11 licensed commercial banks, meaning the development is much broader than the … Read more

Bank customers in India are facing another major disruption as bank unions prepare for a three-day nationwide strike from September 28 to September 30, 2026. The strike could affect branch operations across the country and may leave customers with limited access to physical banking services for five consecutive days when the September 26 and 27 … Read more

Investec’s UK business is showing signs of pressure even as the South African lender expects its overall earnings to grow, highlighting the cost of its continued expansion in Britain. Investec said on Friday, September 18, that its UK Specialist Bank is expected to report adjusted operating profit 3% to 7% below the previous comparable period … Read more

Former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi has rejected claims that his administration left behind unpaid debts, including a reported ₦2 billion ecological loan, contractor liabilities, salary arrears, gratuities and pensions. Obi, who governed Anambra State from 2006 to 2014, said the claims being made by the current Anambra State Government are completely false and challenged … Read more

Bidvest Bank, the South African lender that was previously targeted for acquisition by Nigeria’s Access Bank, is investigating a data breach involving one of its third-party service providers. The incident has raised fresh questions around customer data security at the bank at a time when Bidvest Bank is already going through a major ownership transition. … Read more

Imagine waking up one morning and hearing that one of the biggest banks in Kenya is in serious financial trouble. At first, you may think it is only a problem for people who have accounts with that bank. But the situation can quickly become much bigger. Businesses may struggle to receive or make payments. Other … Read more

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has proposed a major new regulatory framework for online foreign exchange trading and Contracts for Difference (CFDs) in Nigeria, including minimum capital requirements ranging from ₦30 million to as high as ₦5 billion. The proposed framework could significantly change how online forex and CFD trading businesses operate in Nigeria … Read more

Businesses that use the WhatsApp Business Platform for customer support, transaction updates and large-scale customer communication will face new messaging costs from October 1, 2026. Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, is changing the pricing rules for certain messages that businesses have been able to send free of charge within WhatsApp’s 24-hour customer service window. … Read more

OPay is reportedly preparing to list its shares on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX), a move that could give Nigerian investors a chance to own a stake in one of the country’s biggest fintech companies. The planned listing could become one of the most significant technology listings in the history of Nigeria’s capital market if the … Read more