South African farming communities have received their first carbon revenue payments from the GRASS project, showing how carbon finance can create new income opportunities while supporting regenerative agriculture and climate resilience.
Category: Finance
Finance insights covering banking, fintech, investment, financial services and market developments shaping Africa’s economy.
Africa’s Digital Banking Revolution: How Mobile-First Fintech Platforms Could Shape the Future of Finance
Africa’s fintech revolution is entering a new phase. From M-Pesa and mobile payments to AI-powered banking platforms, digital finance is reshaping how individuals and businesses access financial services across the continent.
In a World Remade by Force, Africa Must Bet on UN Tax Rules
As UN negotiations on a global Convention on International Tax Cooperation resume, economist Léonce Ndikumana argues that Africa must push for fairer international tax rules to curb illicit financial flows, reduce capital flight, strengthen tax transparency, and secure sustainable revenue. The article explores how global conflicts, debt pressures, and outdated tax systems undermine Africa’s economic resilience, while outlining key reforms that could reshape international taxation and support long-term development.
South Africa has too many ways to pay and not enough ways for consumers to understand them. Will these make Cards extinct?
South Africa’s payments landscape is evolving rapidly, with digital wallets, PayShap, QR codes, Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL), and instant bank transfers expanding consumer choice. However, widespread adoption remains constrained by limited consumer education, trust, and operational complexity for merchants. This article explores why payment cards continue to dominate despite the rise of alternative payment methods and explains what the industry must do to drive meaningful digital payment adoption.
The Risk Problem with Investors Treating African Energy as One Market
Africa’s energy sector offers major investment opportunities, but treating the continent as a single market can lead to costly mistakes. This analysis explains why investors need jurisdiction-specific risk management, highlighting how regulatory frameworks, currency volatility, infrastructure constraints, and political conditions differ across African countries. It explores practical strategies for managing long-term energy investment risks and financing renewable energy projects.
Why African Investors Should Look Beyond the Ceasefire
The Middle East ceasefire has eased market tensions, but African investors should remain cautious. Cliff Bakashaba, Head of Investments at Jubilee Asset Management Limited, explains how geopolitical shocks continue to affect inflation, currencies, interest rates and investment performance across Africa. The article explores why long-term investors, insurers and asset managers must look beyond short-term market relief and focus on resilience, risk management and country-specific investment strategies.
South Africa Risks Turning BNPL into a Credit-Exclusion Trigger without Fairer Scoring Rules
South Africa risks turning Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) into a credit exclusion trigger if scoring systems fail to properly interpret short-term instalment data. Experts warn that integrating BNPL into traditional credit models could unfairly lower credit scores for responsible borrowers, particularly younger and lower-income consumers. Regulators have paused BNPL data integration as concerns grow over financial inclusion and scoring accuracy.
Orchestrating Europe’s Shift to Instant, Data-Rich Payments
Europe’s payments ecosystem is rapidly evolving with the rise of instant payments, ISO 20022 messaging, and stricter AML and sanctions requirements. Financial institutions, payment service providers, and enterprises must now manage complex transaction flows across multiple payment rails while maintaining real-time compliance and operational resilience. Traderoot’s Unified Integration Platform (UIP) provides a single orchestration layer that unifies payment routing, compliance screening, data enrichment, reconciliation, and exception management. By enabling intelligent payment orchestration across SEPA, RTGS, instant, and cross-border networks, UIP helps organizations accelerate payments, reduce operational complexity, strengthen compliance, and scale confidently in Europe’s increasingly connected payments landscape.
Why Investors Are Looking at African Fintech Again
African fintech is regaining investor attention as the sector matures beyond venture-led growth into sustainable, revenue-generating businesses capable of attracting institutional capital. Recent IPOs by South Africa’s Optasia and Morocco’s Cash Plus, alongside expectations around Airtel Africa’s mobile money business and OPay, signal renewed confidence in African fintech’s long-term potential. With fintech revenues projected to reach $65 billion by 2030, the continent continues to benefit from rising smartphone penetration, mobile money adoption, and a young, urbanising population. Increased merger and acquisition activity, stronger local partnerships, and improved funding momentum in 2026 suggest African fintech is entering a new phase focused on scalability, profitability, and liquidity opportunities for investors.
What People Often Misunderstand About Online Loans in South Africa
Many people misunderstand how online loans work in South Africa, often expecting either a complicated bank-like process or instant, effortless approval. In reality, online lending offers a structured yet convenient experience, typically allowing users to apply within minutes using basic documentation. This article explains the most common misconceptions, how the application process actually works, and why speed and accessibility can sometimes create unrealistic expectations.