veri blog

ACCRA, Ghana (January 16, 2026) – African central banks are increasingly shifting from monetary tightening to easing as inflation rates fall to multi-year lows across the continent. After aggressive interest rate hikes in 2022–2023 to tame price surges, policymakers in countries from Ghana to Kenya have begun cutting benchmark rates in response to sharply lower inflation. The trend signals a new phase of monetary policy aimed at supporting growth now that earlier inflationar

As global financial markets become more complex and less transparent, one theme is rapidly moving to the forefront of regulatory and investor decision-making: visibility . In 2026, jurisdictions are no longer competing solely on tax, treaties, or legal frameworks. Increasingly, they are competing on data quality, reporting capability, and supervisory insight . For Mauritius, this shift presents both a challenge and an opportunity. Why Visibility Has Become a Strategic Issue A

Election cycles have always influenced capital allocation decisions across emerging markets. In 2026, however, political risk is intersecting with a more cautious global investment environment, heightened regulatory expectations, and a growing reliance on private capital rather than public markets. For Mauritius-based structures investing across Africa, election risk is not a reason to exit markets—but it is increasingly shaping how, when, and under what conditions capital i

As global banks continue to retrench from long-dated and higher-risk lending, private credit has emerged as one of the most significant structural shifts in global finance. Nowhere is this more evident than in Africa, where infrastructure projects, mid-sized corporates, and growth-stage businesses face persistent funding gaps that traditional lenders are increasingly unwilling or unable to fill. For Mauritius, this evolution presents a timely and potentially durable opportuni

For years, Mauritius’ international financial centre has been closely associated with fund structures—collective vehicles designed to pool capital and deploy it across regions and asset classes. While funds remain a cornerstone of the jurisdiction’s offering, global investor behaviour is shifting in ways that may open a new avenue for growth: the rise of structured and bespoke investment products . As capital becomes more selective and portfolios more personalised, the questi

Over the past decade, Mauritius has worked steadily to align its international financial centre with evolving global regulatory expectations. Enhanced substance requirements, closer supervisory oversight, and deeper cooperation with international standard-setting bodies have reshaped the jurisdiction’s financial services landscape. As 2026 begins, a new question is emerging—one that goes beyond compliance: how much scale can Mauritius’ financial sector absorb without diluting

January 16, 2026 East African central banks are entering 2026 with a cautious but optimistic stance. With inflation rates easing to multi-month lows and currencies largely stable, monetary policymakers in Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya have opted to hold or even ease their benchmark interest rates. This coordinated trend reflects confidence that price stability can be maintained while providing room for policies that support economic growth in the region. Uganda: Policy Rate Unc

Accra, January 15, 2026  – Ghana’s central bank is moving decisively to reinforce the country’s currency after an unprecedented year of gains. The Bank of Ghana (BoG) has announced plans to inject up to $1 billion  into the foreign exchange market in January 2026 to stabilize the cedi  following its remarkable 40.7% appreciation  against the US dollar in 2025. The intervention – the largest in recent memory – aims to dampen volatility  and sustain the cedi’s historic gains  a

Africa is often spoken about as if it were a single place. A market. A narrative. An opportunity. In reality, Africa is 54 countries—each with its own economic structure, regulatory framework, political history, financial system, and pace of development. Treating it as a homogeneous whole isn’t just inaccurate; it’s operationally dangerous. I’ve learned that the real challenge isn’t ambition. It’s understanding. When you work across African markets, surface-level knowledge is

Some challenges attract you not because they are easy, but because they stretch something you know you haven’t fully developed yet. For me, connecting Africa as a cross-border trading continent is one of those challenges. Africa is not a single market. Not a single rhythm. Not a single way of doing business. It is a mosaic of histories, regulatory environments, economic realities, and deeply rooted cultural norms. From the outside, it’s often spoken about in broad strokes. Fr

There is a moment in most professional journeys where a shortcut presents itself. It rarely looks unethical. Often, it’s framed as being “pragmatic.” Faster. Easier. More efficient. A way to get the same outcome with less friction. And in the short term, it usually works. That’s what makes the decision difficult. I’ve learned that the hard path isn’t hard because it’s complex. It’s hard because it demands restraint. It asks you to tolerate slower progress, fewer immediate rew

Early in my career, I thought sales was mostly about persuasion. Convincing arguments. Clear value propositions. A strong closing instinct. If you understood your product well enough and articulated its benefits clearly, the logic went, adoption would follow. Experience has a way of humbling that assumption. Building a sales strategy around Financial Advisers—especially experienced ones—has taught me that persuasion is rarely the missing ingredient. Most advisers are not shor

There is a quiet discomfort that comes with changing fields—not because you’re starting from zero, but because you’re starting from experience that no longer fully applies. For years, I worked as a private banker. I faced end clients. I discussed investments, diversification, risk, long-term allocation. My role was clear: understand the client, advise them, take responsibility for the structure of their portfolio. Decisions were debated, justified, refined. The accountability

There is a particular kind of silence that comes with no longer managing people. For years, my days were structured around others. I managed close to 40 Financial Relationship Managers in a large organisation. My calendar was full of conversations, decisions, escalations, coaching moments, performance reviews. Leadership was externalised. You could see its impact—through people, teams, and outcomes that weren’t carried by you alone. Then I moved into a smaller organisation. S

While much of the global financial narrative remains focused on public markets, interest rates, and geopolitical risk, a quieter but more consequential shift continues to unfold beneath the surface. Capital is steadily migrating away from listed markets toward private equity, private credit, infrastructure finance, and bespoke structured investments. For Mauritius, this evolution presents a rare strategic opportunity. Not because it can compete on scale with major financial c

For much of the past two decades, Mauritius has been widely regarded as Africa’s preferred international investment gateway. Capital flowed through its structures into Southern, Eastern, and increasingly West African markets, supported by legal certainty, treaty networks, and a well-developed professional services ecosystem. As 2026 begins, however, that long-standing role is being quietly but fundamentally questioned. Capital is becoming more direct, African markets are slow

Mauritius has spent the better part of two decades positioning itself as one of the most credible international financial centres (IFCs) servicing cross-border investment into Africa and beyond. Its appeal has rested on a familiar but carefully balanced proposition: regulatory credibility, tax efficiency, political stability, and strong professional services infrastructure. As 2026 begins, however, the Mauritian IFC finds itself at a critical juncture. Global regulatory expec

Some ideas stay with you for a long time before they become actionable. For me, the idea of Africa as a truly connected, cross-border trading continent is one of them. Not as a slogan, not as a vision slide — but as something practical, functional, and overdue. Africa isn’t short of capital. It isn’t short of ambition. And it certainly isn’t short of talent. What it has historically lacked is connectivity . Too often, capital is trapped within borders. Opportunities are fragm

There are always easier options. In business, in life, in leadership — shortcuts present themselves regularly. They rarely look unethical at first. More often, they look efficient. Sensible. Even smart. I’ve learned that the hardest paths are usually hard for a reason. Taking the long route forces you to understand what you’re building, not just assemble it. It requires patience when progress is slow and discipline when temptation appears dressed as opportunity. There were mo

One of the most underestimated responsibilities of leadership is this:building a team you’re genuinely proud of. Not just a team that performs. Not just a team that delivers results. But a team you respect — even when no one is watching. Early in my career, I thought building a team was about capability. Getting the right skills in the room. Filling gaps. Optimising output. Over time, I’ve learned that skills are the easy part. Character is harder. When you’re under pressure,