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Financial Services Sector Research Highlights

Sultanate of Oman’s finance and leasing sector fuelling economic diversification

In this Growth Perspectives video, OBG shows how the finance and leasing sector is contributing to the Sultanate of Oman's economic diversification efforts. Amid global economic headwinds, the sultanate...

The Report: Qatar 2025
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Banking Sector Analysis

Qatar has one of the most well-capitalised and secure banking sectors in the Gulf, with its leading lender, Qatar National Bank, among the world’s largest-50 banks by market capitalisation. Central to the...

Driving innovation and sustainability in Qatar's banking sector

Shahnawaz Rashid, Executive General Manager and Head of Retail Banking, Commercial Bank of Qatar (CBQ)

In this Global Platform video, Shahnawaz Rashid talks about the strategies for driving innovation and sustainability in Qatar's banking sector. Qatar has developed strong infrastructure, including roads...

Special Reports on the Financial Services Sector
Cash Transformation Report

Report: How has public-private collaboration boosted digital and cash transformation in the Bahamas?

Public-private collaboration aimed at boosting digital payments and reducing cash usage in the Bahamas has made gains in a relatively short timeframe. Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, policymakers...
ESG Intelligence Report

Report: The financial sector's central role in tackling ESG issues in Mexico

Environmental, social and governance issues are a growing focus in Mexico, particularly social inclusion and transparency, followed by other governance and environmental matters. The financial sector has...
ESG Intelligence Report

Report: The future of sustainable finance in Kuwait’s banking sector

The regulatory landscape for Gulf financial service providers is changing, with growing awareness of the need for banking institutions to adopt sustainable finance frameworks and responsible lending...
Focus Report

Focus Report: Post-pandemic trends and opportunities on African stock exchanges

Although stock exchanges on the continent were affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, recovery is starting to take shape. The crisis underlined the need to build resilience and diversify the investor base...

Report: How has public-private collaboration boosted digital and cash transformation in the Bahamas?
Report: The financial sector's central role in tackling ESG issues in Mexico
Report: The future of sustainable finance in Kuwait’s banking sector
Focus Report: Post-pandemic trends and opportunities on African stock exchanges
 

The Report: Oman 2025
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Financial Services Sector Analysis

Oman’s financial services sector is experiencing steady growth, particularly in insurance and capital markets. In 2024 the insurance segment recorded increased revenue and profitability...

Bahrain, a centre for sustainable finance and innovation in the GCC

Abdulaziz Bin Abdulrahman Al Helaissi, Group CEO and Member of the Board, Gulf International Bank (GIB)

In this Global Platform video, Abdulaziz Bin Abdulrahman Al Helaissi, Group CEO and Member of the Board, Gulf International Bank (GIB), talks about Bahrain's banking sector, a significant contributor to...

Financial Sector Analyses

Overview

Qatar’s strong fundamentals and regulations drive banking sector growth
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Qatar has one of the most well-capitalised and secure banking sectors in the Gulf, with its leading lender, Qatar National Bank Group (QNB Group), among the world’s largest-50 banks by market capitalisation. The sector weathered successive external challenges, from the economic contraction associated to the Covid-19 pandemic to more recent global challenges associated with fluctuations in hydrocarbons prices and geopolitical conflicts. Throughout, growth in credit and profit remained solid, both in the sector’s...

Analysis

Qatar’s banking sector modernises with regulatory focus on digital innovation
OBG
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With a robust digital infrastructure and a young, tech-savvy population, Qatar is well positioned to become a leading centre of financial innovation. The country’s financial authorities have taken decisive steps to modernise legislative and regulatory frameworks, aligning them with global best practices. At the same time, local banks, financial technology (fintech) start-ups and new market entrants are leveraging these reforms to roll out new products and services, accelerating the digital transformation of Qatar’s financial landscape...

Interview

Abdulla Mubarak Al Khalifa, Group CEO, Qatar National Bank Group
OBG
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On enabling sustainable financing and innovation

Interview

Abdul Hakeem Mostafawi, CEO, HSBC Middle East
OBG
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On trends towards digitalisation and the resilience of the sector

Analysis

Qatar’s banks adopt new technologies to enhance financial services
OBG
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Open banking has rapidly emerged as a transformative force in global finance, redefining traditional banking models by enabling secure, application programming interface (API)-driven data sharing and third party service integration. Valued at approximately $25.1bn in 2023 and poised to surge to $29.6bn by 2025 – ultimately eclipsing $306.6bn by 2035 – the global market’s projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 26.3% through 2035 underscores its potential to reshape financial services worldwide. Within the GCC...

The Report: Ajman 2025
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Financial Services Sector Analysis

Ajman’s financial sector is expanding with support from national economic policies and regional investor confidence. The emirate’s banks and financial institutions are exploring new services in Islamic finance...

Kuwait's banks target sustainable growth

In this Growth Perspectives video, OBG shows how Kuwaiti banks are embracing environmental, social and governance principles to contribute to the sustainable growth of the banking sector...

Financial Services in Emerging Markets

Economic View

Ali Alragae, Secretary-General, Libyan Insurance Federation

On boosting penetration and the diversification of Libya’s insurance portfolio

Economic View

Mohammed Ali Addarrat, Chairman, Libyan Foreign Bank

On the changing commercial ecosystem and how governance reforms are evolving to align with international standards

Economic View

Kwabena Asante-Poku, Coverage Director, Ghana - British International Investment (BII)

On increasing finance for SMEs, women-led businesses and infrastructure development in Africa

Economic View

Eman Mojali, CEO, Bahrain National Insurance

On building a regulatory framework and consumer awareness to support growth

Economic View

Julian Opuni, Managing Director, Fidelity Bank Ghana

On the country’s commitment to inclusive finance

Economic News

Climate risk is reshaping the insurance sector in emerging markets
OBG
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With the launch of a new joint initiative to support the countries that are most vulnerable to climate change, the global insurance industry is evolving in ways that could carry important implications for business in emerging markets. The Global Shield against Climate Risks (GSCR) was announced by the ministers of finance of the so-called Vulnerable Twenty Group (V20) and the G7 after the COP27 UN Conference on Climate Change in Sharm El-Sheikh Egypt in November last year. It seeks to address weaknesses...

Economic News

Digital financial inclusion is reshaping payments in Côte d’Ivoire
OBG
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Already a regional standout in terms of growth and investment inflows, Côte d’Ivoire is striving to become a pioneer in digital financial inclusion. The West African country saw key indices rebound swiftly following the Covid-19 pandemic, with GDP growth reaching 7% in 2021, returning to pre-pandemic levels following a drop to 1.7% in 2020. Growth is set to remain strong, estimated at 6.7% in 2022 and projected to reach 6.2% in 2023, according to the IMF. Coupled with robust investment inflows over the past decade, the country...

Economic News

Emerging markets invest in film media to extend their global reach
OBG
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As GCC countries look to harness new forms of financial technology (fintech) such as blockchain, deepen their financial services and expand financial inclusion, governments are embracing decentralised finance (DeFi) and are working to attract cryptocurrency companies to the region. In DeFi – peer-to-peer financial services with no central authority or intermediary involved in trading, lending, investing and other activities – GCC countries see the opportunity to diversify their economies and embrace Web3 technologies...

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