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Financial Sector in MEA Spent $12.6Bn on ICT in 2019 – IDC

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Banking and finance industry in the Middle East and Africa spent $12.68 billion on information and communications technology (ICT) in 2019, according to the latest insights from International Data Corporation (IDC).

The global technology research, consulting, and events firm forecasts this figure will reach $13.23 billion this year and continue rising at a compound annual growth rate of 4.7% over the coming years to reach $15.24 billion in 2023.

“The banking and finance industry is becoming increasingly reliant on emerging digital technologies to attract and retain customers,” says Nagia El Emary, IDC’s senior consultant for the Middle East and Africa. “The sheer magnitude of financial technology (fintech) products and services on the market today is staggering, and financial institutions are increasingly embracing 3rd Platform technologies and innovation accelerators such as cloud, mobility, and artificial intelligence (AI) to increase their market penetration rates, enhance customer satisfaction through the delivery of personalized services, and streamline operations to cut costs and maximize efficiencies. As such, these technologies are becoming an inextricable part of the sector as a whole, and this is only the beginning.”

The increasing reliance on cloud across the industry has given rise to cloud marketplaces. Similar to an app store for smartphones, these cloud marketplaces provide banks with access to third-party IT systems and fintech products and services. And like any other marketplace, cloud marketplaces have the power to negotiate better terms with fintech providers than banks alone. Consequently, IDC expects that by 2024 around 80% of banks globally will be purchasing and integrating fintech solutions from cloud marketplaces.

The use of artificial intelligence is also becoming pervasive across the BFSI industry. Indeed, IDC expects that by the end of this year, 85% of banks will have implemented AI applications to enable intelligent decisions and automated processes for corporate know-your-customer procedures, drastically reducing the time it takes to approve enrollments for new corporate accounts.

IDC also forecasts that by 2023, 40% of insurers will be automating claims processes with AI technologies and conversational interfaces to improve the speed of response, efficiency, and personalization.

All these trends and more will be discussed during a dedicated banking and finance session that will take place at the upcoming IDC Middle East CIO Summit 2020. The annual event has served as a beacon of ICT thought leadership across the region since 2008, and this year’s edition will be hosted at Dubai’s Atlantis, The Palm on February 26-27 under the theme ‘The Race to Reinvent: Connecting to Leaders to Empower Digital Transformation’.

Combining informative presentations, interactive panel discussions, and dedicated focus groups, the IDC Middle East CIO Summit 2020 will provide more than 500 senior C-Suite executives from a broad range of industries with the expert guidance required to benchmark the digital transformation progress of their organizations.


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E-Financial

Lagos State Appoints MoneyMaster as Payment Partner for “Ounje Eko” Programme

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“Ounje Eko”, the food price discount initiative of the Lagos State Government, has appointed leading payment service bank, MoneyMaster Payment Service Bank Limited (MMPSB), as its collaborator in the bid to ensure ease of payments at the market.

MoneyMaster is one of the Central Bank of Nigeria-licensed Payment Service Banks (PSBs) to promote financial inclusion across Nigeria.

Under the partnership, MMPSB will apply its cutting-edge payment solution to engender easy payment and reconciliation in order to make   the experiences of Lagosians who will be getting their food supplies from the markets pleasurable. Its payment solution is also all-encompassing and ensures real time value to payment destinations.

The mobile bank was appointed as the collection and payment partner for “Ounje Eko” Food Markets programme which is a government initiative serving the five divisions of Lagos State. Consequent on this, MoneyMaster Payment Service Bank will collect payments in 57 LCDAs in the state.

The partnership gives credence to the quality of payment solutions that MoneyMaster is reputed for in its services to its growing business clientele in private and public sectors.

 


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E-Financial

CBN, EFCC Probe Banks, Firms over Alleged Forex Racketeering

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Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), is investigating irregular foreign exchange transactions and forward contracts valued at approximately $2.4 billion.

CBN, EFCC Probe Banks, Firms over Alleged Forex Racketeering

The  inquiry follows an extensive audit by Deloitte, which scrutinized $7 billion in dollar debts accumulated under the bank’s previous leadership.

In the aftermath of the 294th Monetary Policy Committee meeting in Abuja, Yemi Cardoso, governor of CBN,  disclosed to journalists that the investigation, supported by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, among other security bodies, aims to clarify the legitimacy of these FX allocations identified as problematic by the audit.

“It was determined that a number of these transactions did not qualify…they were outright illegal. The law enforcement agencies are now looking into those transactions that as far as we are concerned, are not valid to be paid,” Cardoso detailed, emphasizing the unlawful nature of these forex deals.

The crux of the investigation lies in the audit findings that a significant portion of the scrutinized transactions lacked proper documentation and, in many instances, were deemed outright illegal.

However, the unfolding investigation has raised concerns within the organized private sector, with some entities contemplating legal action against commercial banks for unresolved forex bids.

Despite these tensions, Governor Cardoso reassures that the foreign exchange market remains open and transparent, inviting stakeholders to address their forex needs through the official channels.

Furthermore, Cardoso clarified the distribution of fertilizers to farmers as a one-off measure and not indicative of a shift back to direct interventions by the CBN, underscoring a commitment to strategic, regulatory governance rather than direct market involvement.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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CBN Urges Banks to Expedite Action on Recapitalisation

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Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has directed deposit money banks in the country to expedite action to increase their capital base from the current ₦25bn.

CBN Urges Banks to Expedite Action on Recapitalisation

Olayemi Cardoso, governor of CBN

Olayemi Cardoso, governor of CBN, stated this during the apex bank’s 294th meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) on Tuesday in Abuja, when the MPC hiked the interest rate by 22.75% to 24.75%.

The apex bank chief said the MPC examined developments in the banking sector and expressed satisfaction that the industry remained stable. The committee, however, said to guard against risk, commercial banks in the country should accelerate their recapitalisation efforts.

Cardoso said, “The MPC also reviewed developments in the banking system and noted that the industry remains safe, sound, and stable. The committee thus called on the bank to sustain its surveillance and ensure compliance of banks with existing regulatory and macro-potential guidelines.

“The MPC also enjoined the banks to expedite actions on the recapitalisation of banks to strengthen the system against potential risks in an increasingly globalised world.”

 

 

 

 


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