The country has disappointed investors by revealing undisclosed liabilities, which is underlining how African borrowers must be treated with caution.

The country’s finances are in such a parlous state that it must treat the IMF and bondholders with all due respect to get the result it needs.

Letshego has the ambition of becoming Africa’s leading inclusive finance group. In January, the group announced that it was continuing its continent-wide expansion with the acquisition of a small finance outlet in Ghana.

At the largest private-sector investment firm in the Persian Gulf, the line between business and politics has always been blurred – its well-connected new executive chairman Mohammed bin Mahfoodh Al Ardhi seems a perfect fit for that curious tradition.

Banks in Iran have made progress since the signing of the nuclear deal, yet many obstacles to doing business internationally remain; for every step forward, there seems to be one back.

The Egyptian central bank’s decision to allow the pound to float freely in November caught many bankers in Cairo by surprise. But it was a long-held ambition of governor Tarek Amer, a veteran of Egyptian finance with a reputation as a straight-shooter. Now he needs to show the move heralds a cultural, positive shift for Egypt’s economy.

End to multi-year political impasse; factions jostle for ministerial roles.

Commerce could reverse Trump’s vow to dismantle the Iran nuclear deal.

The borrower is on shakier ground as its ability to refinance debt is questioned.

Country deems debt unsustainable; IMF support may be imminent.

IMF responds with $12 billion loan approval; banks’ long-term prospects improve.

After failing to reach agreement at its last two meetings, Opec agreed this week to cut oil output for the first time in eight years. The oil price responded favourably, but lingering doubts about the finer details could mean the impact is short lived.

IFC teams up for first carbon credit coupons; billions of dollars needed to stop deforestation.

Immediately after Donald Trump’s election victory, Euromoney visited Tehran to gauge the reaction of one group likely to be affected more than most – Iran’s banking community. Throughout his campaign Trump threatened to tear up the nuclear agreement that has allowed Iran to take its first tentative steps towards international rehabilitation. But bankers in Tehran are determined to hold on to their hard-won gains.

Cutting ties with money transfer companies has deeper implications than many big banks are prepared to admit.

Investors should not get too carried away by Saudi’s bond market triumph: there is still much that can derail its long-term strategy.

In his first 16 months as governor of Kenya’s central bank, Patrick Njoroge has had to work through constant concerns about the health of the country’s economy and financial sector. Now he faces his biggest challenge yet: a piece of financial regulation he believes will deeply hurt Kenyan banks and their consumers.

A recent $17.5 billion bond issue by Saudi Arabia was hailed as a resounding success by capital market participants who have a strong interest in further fundraising by the kingdom, including an expected IPO of Saudi Aramco that could break records with a size around $100 billion.

It seems $100 billion is the new benchmark fundraising target for firms looking to make an impact.

Eurobonds back after three-month post-coup shutdown; October supply tops $3.5 billion.

Resumes African expansion as Barclays retreats; hints of more jobs to match Egypt’s economic growth.

Kingdom’s debut is largest ever EM deal; Vision 2030 chimes with investors.

The younger and energetic Mohammed Al-Jadaan has a record of transformation.

Libyan Investment Authority fails to convince court US bank duped it; Société Générale case even bigger but LIA is rudderless.

The calming of the political shock of Brexit, with oil prices now receiving Opec support, is preventing global risks from worsening, yet with a referendum looming in Italy, elections in the US and Europe to come, not to mention frail banks and several countries mired in difficulties, it might be the calm before another global storm.

African money movers lose correspondents; remitters turn to informal channels.

The country’s financial system is still not easy to access; money has trickled rather than flooded into its stock exchange since January’s deal with the US to lift sanctions. Nevertheless, as the country emerges from years of isolation, important changes are taking place that could herald a new era for Iran’s capital markets.

The sovereign borrower still struggles to convince the experts as the elections draw near.

Foreign funds expected to rush in; move coincides with privatisation drive.

Regional stakes join FMO and Norfund assets; indirect, lower ownership reduces liability.