E-Financial
Instable Currencies, Others Take Toll on EMEA PC Shipments- IDC
PC shipments in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) reached 20.2 million units in the first quarter of 2015, a 7.7% decrease year on year, according to International Data Corporation (IDC).
After a strong 2014, the market returned to a decline as expected, with business renewals decelerating after last year’s uplift prompted by the end of Windows XP support.
Macro-economic improvements in Europe were dampened by currency fluctuations and political tensions in Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (CEMA).
The strong dollar led to various price increases in local currencies.
Overall portable PCs performed better than desktop thanks to final shipments of the 15 inch portables with Bing in Western Europe (WE) and some parts of the Central and Eastern Europe (CEE).
The portable PC declined by 3.6% and desktop PCs by 14%. Resulting inventories across the different channels appear high but represent a limited reason for concern as the product values are low and most products were purchased while dollar rates were favorable.
On the other hand, the deceleration in the commercial market reflects the end of renewal waves of 2014, when growth was driven from one side by the end of Windows XP support in 1H2014 and from the other by a refresh cycle of old installed base in 2H2014.
Consequently all three subregions posted a decline but WE only contracted by 2% while CEE declined by 23% and MEA by 10%.
Market consolidation also seems to be progressing further, with the top two vendors gaining significant market shares and continuing their battle for leadership in the region.
“The first quarter of 2015 was a transition period after strong renewals in 2014. While there are some expectations around the new CPU platform and operating systems to revive the market in coming quarters, the strong dollar will negatively impact IT budgets as product prices in local currencies have and will increase further,” said Chrystelle Labesque, associate director, IDC EMEA Personal Computing. “Consumers and IT managers will have to decide if they postpone purchases or make compromises on their choice or amend their budgets.”
The PC market in Western Europe posted a 2% decline in shipments, with a contraction in the commercial market weighing on the overall result.
The shipments were affected by exchange rate fluctuations which contributed to increases in components and prices of PCs and resulted in a drop in enterprise demand.
The commercial market also suffered from unfavorable year-over-year comparison against 1Q14, when the end of Windows XP support boosted renewals, particularly in the desktop space. As a result, commercial PC shipments in Western Europe posted a 9.5% decline this quarter, with desktop dropping by 17.2%.
Southern Europe was the exception, as Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain all continued to benefit from economic recovery and saw strong increases in commercial PC shipments.
The biggest Western European economies, however, witnessed a contraction, with many corporate renewals completed in the past year.
The U.K. and Germany both posted double digit declines, while France was flat. On the other hand, consumer shipments in Western Europe held better than expected as vendors continued to stock up on attractively priced Bing notebooks, pushing substantial sell-in quantities into the market in January, before change to promotion conditions came in to place in February.
This led to 8.4% growth in consumer portable PC shipments across Western Europe.
“We anticipated much weaker results in the consumer market in Western Europe this quarter. It seems, however, that vendors continued to ship Bing products in order to secure attractively priced inventory and maximize sales. As a result, January shipments came in very strongly and positively influenced the quarterly results,” said Maciek Gornicki, research manager, IDC EMEA Personal Computing. “Unfavorable exchange rates as well as changes to the Bing promotion will most likely lead to drop in shipments in the coming quarters, however, particularly in the consumer space, as vendors are expected to focus on depleting the 4Q and 1Q inventory and limit new shipments. The commercial market is also likely to remain negative, with many renewals completed in the past five quarters.”
“In line with the latest forecast the CEMA region, Central Eastern Europe and Middle East and Africa, reported a year on year contraction of 16%. The CEE region posted a PC market decline of 23% compared to the MEA region reporting a contraction of 10% year on year,” said Stefania Lorenz, associate VP, IDC CEMA. “The PC market in the CEE region remains affected by the devaluation of the local currency, slowdown in the economy, high inventory recorded in some countries and the ongoing turmoil in the Eastern part of the region all affecting negatively IT spending both in the consumer and the commercial space.”
“Within the CEE region, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania and Hungary reported strong double digit growth thanks to the last sales-in push of Bing PCs to the channel” said Nikolina Jurisic, product manager, IDC CEMA. “The overall PC market in the MEA region reported an annual decline of 10%. The weak currencies in countries such as Nigeria, Egypt and Turkey, among others across the region, low oil prices, and political tensions present in certain parts of the region have badly affected consumer spending.”
Vendor Highlights
The top two players seem to benefit most from market consolidation in EMEA, posting growth while the market is contracting.
HP continued to outperform the market and made this quarter again strong gains in the portable PC area. Results in WE and MEA were strong. The vendor focus on product innovations and Go-to-Market execution are key elements of the success.
Lenovo posted the strongest growth among the top players, continuously beating market expectations across EMEA. For the first time, the vendor reached more than 20% market share fuelled by strong momentum in Southern Europe (France, Italy, Spain, Greece, and Portugal).
Dell maintained third position in EMEA. While the vendor was in line with the commercial desktop market, its portable PC shipments suffered a stronger decline than average. However, Dell regained shares sequentially (4Q14).
Acer kept fourth position thanks to better than market results in the desktop PC area. The vendor suffered from the situation in CEE, especially in Russia, but managed to successfully gain shares in that country despite the currency challenge.
ASUS results were slightly below market, with desktop PC contracting after some quarters of strong growth.
When people and businesses gain genuine access to financial services, they gain the ability to transact securely, build savings, and access credit. That access creates the conditions for progress: more stable revenues, better business decisions, and the capacity to grow. Progress, sustained over time, is what produces financial happiness. This framework is how Moniepoint measures its impact.
According to Moniepoint 2025 Impact Report, titled creating financial happiness; “Financial happiness is the feeling of confidence and ease that comes with financial freedom and well-being. It is a condition that develops over time and requires a specific set of enablers to take hold.
For millions of people and businesses across Nigeria, those enablers, like tools and solutions to manage their finances, have historically been out of reach. Moniepoint was built to change that, and this change, for us, begins with inclusion”.
Across the world, access to digital tools is a key driver of financial inclusion. The World Bank’s Global Findex 2025 report finds that more than 60% of adults in low- and middle income economies now make or receive digital payments. In Nigeria, this figure is around 54%. Moniepoint has been a key driver in expanding this access with its POS terminals. “Our terminals also drive financial inclusion for individuals.
The report stated that, in 2025, Moniepoint enabled 100 million people to make payments via their POS terminals across the country. For customers in communities where bank branches are scarce or non-existent, a Moniepoint terminal at their local shop, market stall, or fuel station provides reliable access to digital financial services.
They can make purchases, withdraw cash, and manage their money without travelling long distances or depending solely on physical currency. Critically, customers without cards can complete transactions through direct bank transfers to the terminal’s account.
Beyond practical benefits, Moniepoint terminals have also introduced a new layer of trust to everyday commerce. “When network issues make it unclear if a payment went through, the Moniepoint terminal’s loud beep provides instant confirmation for everyone, building trust in digital payments with every transaction”.
Moniepoint POS terminals operate across all 774 local governments in Nigeria, ensuring that small sellers and large stores can accept payments reliably, regardless of location.
In 2025, millions of Nigerians, businesses and individuals alike, accessed Moniepoint services through its mobile app. Top among them are groups like women and low-income earners, who have historically been excluded from formal banking. Inclusion of women is particularly important, as they typically manage household spending and informal savings but are frequently left out of structured financial systems. “Through our app, they are gaining financial independence and greater control over their economic decisions,” the report added.
For millions of Nigerians, debit cards represent a move away from the limits of cash transactions. They enable safer, more reliable everyday payments, particularly as more local businesses begin to accept digital payments.
Moniepoint debit cards are designed to meet this need. In 2025, Moniepoint customers completed over 300 million card transactions at physical locations, largely driven by essential, food-related purchases. Most of this spending took place at neighbourhood provision shops where households buy everyday items such as rice, cooking oil, and soap.
“We’ve made access to our cards intentionally simple. Customers can get a Moniepoint debit card by requesting it within their mobile app or from neighbourhood agents, without lengthy paperwork or waiting periods. By lowering these barriers, more people are able to access financial tools and participate in the formal financial system.
“Our cards also safeguard our customers’ financial information. They don’t carry special markings or any identifiers that could expose our customers or put their financial security at risk. In the event of loss, this reduces the likelihood of targeted fraud or misuse.
“When people can pay with their debit cards at their neighbourhood stores, they can manage their spending, reduce cash handling, and transact more securely. Merchants also benefit, recording higher transaction volumes and more consistent customer activity.
“Moniepoint helps millions of businesses and individuals across Nigeria access seamless payments and banking, every day. The widespread adoption of our tools and services, as highlighted, demonstrates our critical role in expanding financial access, supporting everyday commerce, and enabling more Nigerians to participate safely and consistently in the digital economy,” the report noted.
ChatPay has launched Africa’s conversational banking platform, enabling individuals and businesses to access financial services through WhatsApp.
The Lagos-based fintech startup, is in controlled rollout, connecting WhatsApp to linked-bank management, airtime and supported electricity payments through simple conversations.
The company said the platform is designed to enable users to send money, pay bills, buy airtime and manage business transactions within WhatsApp conversations, subject to the completion of regulatory approvals and integration with licensed banking partners.
According to ChatPay, the platform is operated by CP Technology Limited and is currently undergoing a phased rollout ahead of its planned public launch.
The company said the initiative is intended to simplify access to financial services by leveraging WhatsApp, which it estimates is used by more than 50 million Nigerians monthly.
Speaking on the idea behind the platform, Adeoluwasubomi Odebunmi, product lead and co-founder, said the concept emerged while she was studying Software Engineering at Babcock University.
“I saw the gap while I was still in school—how much friction there was just to move money. I didn’t want to just study the problem. I wanted to help fix it,” she said.
Odebunmi said she had previously worked on software solutions spanning e-commerce, real estate management, school administration and artificial intelligence applications before co-founding ChatPay.
Aseoluwa Siyanbola, growth lead and co-founder, said his experience managing Nigerian bank accounts while studying abroad highlighted some of the challenges users face with digital banking services.
According to him, difficulties such as one-time password (OTP) failures and inconsistent banking applications inspired the team to explore conversational banking solutions.
“We each encountered similar challenges and came together to build a solution that simplifies everyday financial transactions,” he said.
cAbraham William, tech lead and co-founder, said the company is focused on improving access to financial services through a platform that many Nigerians already use daily.
“We want to make financial services easier to access by allowing people to carry out transactions through a familiar messaging platform,” he said.
William said he oversees the company’s engineering, technology strategy and system architecture.
ChatPay said its services will be introduced in phases as regulatory requirements are met and integrations with banking partners are completed.
The company added that its newly launched “Founding 2,500” programme will enable selected early users to test features, provide feedback and participate in product development before the platform’s wider rollout.
According to the company, interested users can register for the waitlist and the Founding 2,500 programme through its website.
Founded by Odebunmi, Siyanbola and William, ChatPay said its long-term goal is to expand conversational banking services beyond Nigeria into other African markets after its domestic rollout.
United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc has been named Nigeria’s Best Bank for Retail Banking and Best Bank for Sustainability Leadership (ESG) at the 2026 Euromoney Awards for Excellence, reinforcing its position as one of Africa’s leading financial institutions.
The awards were presented on July 17 at The Peninsula London in the United Kingdom, recognising financial institutions that have demonstrated outstanding performance, innovation, customer impact and sustainable banking practices.
The double recognition highlights UBA’s growing influence in retail banking and its commitment to advancing environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles across its operations.
According to Euromoney, UBA distinguished itself through a series of sustainability initiatives, including the introduction of a Green Financing Facility designed to support households and businesses transitioning to renewable energy.
The publication also cited the bank’s ₦5 billion financing programme, implemented in partnership with the Bank of Industry (BOI), to provide funding for women-owned businesses.
Euromoney further recognised UBA’s commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, describing it as a demonstration of the bank’s long-term sustainability strategy.
The publication also highlighted the bank’s efforts to integrate sustainability into its operations through the deployment of solar-powered energy solutions across 50 branches and comprehensive ESG capacity-building programmes that have trained more than 16,000 employees across the UBA Group.
In the retail banking category, Euromoney noted that UBA continued to consolidate its position as one of Africa’s largest retail banking institutions.
According to the publication, the bank expanded its customer base to more than 37 million by the end of 2025, while retail banking revenue increased more than fourfold to ₦429.5 billion.
The awards also recognised UBA’s continued investment in digital banking innovation, particularly enhancements to its artificial intelligence-powered chatbot, LEO.
Euromoney noted that LEO became Africa’s first AI-powered banking platform to facilitate cross-border money transfers in local currencies through the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS).
Commenting on the awards, UBA’s Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Oliver Alawuba, described the recognition as a validation of the bank’s commitment to delivering value to customers while promoting sustainable development across Africa.
“To be recognised as Nigeria’s Best Bank for both ESG and Retail Banking in the same year sends a powerful message that sustainable banking and commercial success are mutually reinforcing.
“At UBA, we are committed to financing Africa’s future, supporting businesses and communities, promoting financial inclusion, and delivering innovative banking solutions that improve lives.
“These awards belong to our customers for their confidence in us and to every member of the UBA family whose dedication continues to make our vision a reality,” he said.
Also speaking, UBA’s Group Head, Marketing, Brand and Corporate Communications, Mrs Alero Ladipo, said the awards reflected the bank’s unwavering commitment to putting customers at the centre of its operations.
According to her, every innovation, investment and banking solution introduced by UBA is aimed at creating exceptional value for customers while expanding access to financial services.
“These awards are a powerful affirmation of our Customer First philosophy.
“Whether it is supporting entrepreneurs with access to finance, enabling seamless digital payments, advancing clean energy financing or expanding financial inclusion across Africa, UBA remains focused on delivering meaningful impact.
“We are honoured that one of the world’s most respected financial publications has recognised these efforts,” she said.
UBA currently operates in 20 African countries, as well as the United Kingdom, United States, France and the United Arab Emirates, serving more than 45 million customers through a combination of digital banking platforms and physical branch networks.
The bank said it remains committed to strengthening financial inclusion, driving innovation and supporting sustainable economic development across Africa and beyond.
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