Kenya

CBK Eyes KSh 20B in Bond Switch as Investors Urged to Extend Date of Maturity

The government has initiated the first switch bond transaction of the fiscal year, aiming to roll over the maturity of a 10-year KSh103.4 billion bond into a 15-year instrument. The bond prospectus published by the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) yesterday reveals that the Treasury is inviting holders of the 10-year paper, which matures in August next year, to transfer their funds into a reopened 15-year bond issued in April 2022. The government’s fiscal agent aims to roll over KSh 20 billion in this bond switch, encouraging investors to extend their exposure from six months to 11.3 years.

(Source: Business Daily)

Tanzania

BoT Moves To Establish A Credit Firm To Boost SME Financing

The Bank of Tanzania (BoT) is establishing a new Credit Guarantee Public Limited Company to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) access loans more easily. This move is expected to boost business growth and strengthen the country’s economy. BoT Governor Emmanuel Tutuba announced the initiative during a meeting with leaders of financial institutions at the central bank’s offices in Dar es Salaam. He stated that the company will play a vital role in reducing lenders’ risks, enabling more entrepreneurs, particularly small business owners, to qualify for financing.

(Source: Daily News)

Uganda

DTB and Furaha Finserve Partner To Support Children In School Through Affordable Financing

Diamond Trust Bank (DTB) Uganda, a leading financial institution in Uganda, has announced a new partnership with Furaha Finserve Uganda Limited to ease the burden of school fees for families nationwide. The collaboration introduces the DTB–Furaha School Fees Loan, a digital financing solution that provides parents with timely and affordable access to school fees, helping children stay in school and complete their education. The new product enables parents to secure instant school fee loans, paid directly to schools, alleviating the stress of upfront lump-sum payments.

(Source: The Independent)

Ethiopia

Ethiopia Launches National Digital Payments Strategy, IPS

Ethiopia’s National Digital Payment Strategy (NDPS 2026–2030) and Instant Payment System (IPS) were launched on 9th December. The Instant Payment System, along with the National Digital Payment Strategy 2030, which outlines a five-year roadmap for interoperability, trust, and innovation in Ethiopia’s digital finance sector, was introduced at the second Ethiopia Digital Payment Conference held in Addis Ababa. The National Digital Payments Strategy (2026–2030) aims to facilitate low-value outbound cross-border transfers through cards, mobile wallets, and digital banking.

(Source: ENA)

Sudan

RSF Claims Seizure of Key Oil Field, China Withdraws from Faltering Oil Sector

The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) announced on Monday that they had seized the Heglig oil field in West Kordofan, declaring the move a turning point in their campaign to “liberate the entire homeland.” The group said the area’s economic importance made it a lifeline for the Port Sudan government’s war effort, and pledged to safeguard engineers, technicians, and vital infrastructure. The United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) warned that the RSF’s unauthorised presence in the disputed Abyei region had already fuelled rising crime and illegal checkpoints along the disputed border separating Sudan and South Sudan.

(Source: Dabanga)