Africa's biggest challenge is not a lack of ideas or capital. It's building institutions that can outlast the people who create them. In this exclusive interview, Access Holdings Chairman Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede reflects on a career that transformed one of Africa's largest banks and explains why the continent's future depends on strong institutions across both the private and public sectors. From mobilising long-term capital to improving governance and public service, he argues that lasting progress is built on systems, not individuals. Read our full article and join the conversation: eu1.hubs.ly/H0xr3Bm0

Egyptian banks generated a record E£218.41bn ($4.4bn) in combined net profits in the first quarter of 2026, as the sector emerges from years of inflation, foreign exchange shortages and economic disruption.  The stronger results could finally give Egypt’s long-delayed bank privatisation programme fresh momentum. A 30% stake in United Bank was successfully floated in 2024, while Banque du Caire, which recorded a 16% rise in net income to E£4bn in Q1 2026, could be next. But with valuations, interest rates and the sustainability of current profits still uncertain, will this time be different?  Read the full article and tell us what you think: eu1.hubs.ly/H0y1NsS0

Morocco’s biggest banks are becoming major players across Africa, with Attijariwafa Bank, Banque Centrale Populaire and Bank of Africa now operating in at least 15, 18 and 20 other African markets respectively. Their operations outside Morocco accounted for 25%, 25% and 40% of their total revenue and asset bases last year. As Moroccan banks move beyond retail banking into corporate finance, trade finance and investment banking, they are positioning themselves to benefit from growing cross-border trade and payments across the continent. Read our article and share your thoughts: eu1.hubs.ly/H0y1Nlz0

Africa’s debt swaps are increasingly being used to turn expensive sovereign debt into investment in energy, climate and nature projects. But are they a silver bullet, or could they create new risks for African governments? Read more and join the conversation: eu1.hubs.ly/H0y1NvD0

At London's Invest Africa conference in June, business leaders celebrated AfCFTA, a market of 1.3bn people worth $3.4 trillion. Days later, on the streets of Durban, anti-migrant activists were ordering African foreigners to leave the same city investors were pitching as the next Dubai. Both visions relied on the same economic model: foreign labour doing the work while capital and profits flow elsewhere. The difference was who got to be the beneficiary. Onyekachi Wambu argues that AfCFTA's biggest weakness is not economic but moral, a single market built without a shared ethic of hospitality and mutual obligation among Africans themselves. Can economic integration succeed without social trust? Read the article and tell us what you think: eu1.hubs.ly/H0x_RND0

Nigeria's biggest banking groups now sprawl across dozens of subsidiaries. Access Holdings alone has at least 25, spanning pensions, insurance, fintech and banking units in 14 foreign markets. The Central Bank of Nigeria wants to rein in that complexity before it becomes a systemic risk. Read our full article and share your thoughts: eu1.hubs.ly/H0x_P_W0

Developing countries in Africa pay interest rates three to four times higher than advanced economies for the same private capital. G-24 director Iyabo Masha says part of the fix is fairer credit ratings that account for an economy's long-term potential rather than just current income. With overseas support declining and multilateral lenders stretched, Masha argues domestic policy matters most, because no international institution understands a country's economy better than the country itself. She also points to Nigeria's bank recapitalisation, noting that in dollar terms, the new capital base barely exceeds what banks raised a decade ago. Read our full interview and share your thoughts: eu1.hubs.ly/H0x_R1h0

61% of men in sub-Saharan Africa had a bank account in 2025, compared with 49% of women. That gap has widened since 2011, not narrowed, despite a decade of mobile money and digital banking growth across the continent. Read more and join the conversation: eu1.hubs.ly/H0x_MfD0

As chairman of the France-Nigeria Business Council, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuedehas taken part in discussions on the Africa-France Impact Coalition and sat with President Macron at the Élysée Palace ahead of President Tinubu's state visit to the UK. For Aig-Imoukhuede, economic diplomacy is an extension of the same institution-building philosophy that shaped his banking career. Stronger ties with partners like France, he argues, help Nigeria and Africa negotiate from a position of strength rather than dependency as the global economic order shifts. Can Nigeria turn global change into opportunity? Read more and join the conversation: eu1.hubs.ly/H0xBvyF0

The Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation has partnered with Oxford University's Blavatnik School of Government to send qualified African public servants there for a Master of Public Policy, betting that stronger public sector leadership pays off decades down the line. It is a slower, less visible form of change than a bank or a stock exchange, but Aig-Imoukhuede argues it is just as necessary. Public institutions, he says, cannot be treated as a lottery, and building the next generation of reform-minded civil servants is part of fixing that. Read our in-depth interview and share your thoughts: eu1.hubs.ly/H0xBqNp0

𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 We’re expanding - and we’re looking for exceptional talent. Our award‑winning pan‑African media and communications group is seeking a Freelance Sales Consultant to help drive our next phase of growth across the continent. Are you a self‑driven B2B sales professional with strong communication, negotiation and relationship‑building skills? Are you looking for a role that offers the perfect blend of autonomy and impact? Can you work directly with clients, understand their needs, and deliver tailored solutions that strengthen our market reach? If the answer is yes, then this is an opportunity to shape your own schedule while contributing meaningfully to a fast‑growing organisation that champions African creativity, business and storytelling. If you thrive in flexible environments and want to be part of a team pushing boundaries across Africa’s media landscape, we’d love to hear from you. Keen to join our award-winning group? Click on the link below and reach out. eu1.hubs.ly/H0xBpl90

Africa has access to an estimated $4tn in capital, yet the continent still faces a $400bn annual development financing gap. The challenge is no longer a lack of money but a lack of systems to deploy it. From pension funds and sovereign wealth assets to innovative financing models such as asset recycling and Zambia's debt-for-energy swap, new approaches could unlock the investment needed to transform Africa's infrastructure, industrialisation and trade ambitions. Read more and join share your thoughts: eu1.hubs.ly/H0xr6gv0

The State of AI in African Banking 2026 explores the trends, challenges and opportunities defining AI adoption across the continent. If you want to understand where African banking is heading next, this report belongs on your reading list. Download your copy now eu1.hubs.ly/H0x3bv10  @backbase

"The question is no longer whether to invest in AI, but what the ROI is." Tomorrow, @backbase and African Banker release The State of AI in African Banking 2026, featuring insights from 277 banking executives across 37 countries. Discover what's driving AI adoption, the biggest barriers to implementation, and where banking leaders see the greatest returns. Download your copy tomorrow, 21 July eu1.hubs.ly/H0x2lTs0