IslamicFinance.de

Standard Chartered Bank sees great potential for Islamic banking in Kenya with only two percent penetration to the total banking business. Standard Chartered Bank’s Global Head of Islamic Banking Wasim Saif says with the population of Muslims being 10 percent in the country Islamic banking could grow to a double digit number in the next five years. That's why the bank launched its Islamic banking offering in Kenya under the brand name Saadiq. Saadiq becomes the first market of Standard Chartered’s African footprint for Islamic banking, and is considered a platform to enter in other African markets that include Tanzania, Uganda, and Nigeria in two to three years. The new window will offer Shariah compliant products that include personal banking, home financing, as well as business and corporate banking.

Dubai Islamic Bank plans to expand its operations into Asian and African countries as it emerges from a period of consolidation, the bank's chief executive Adnan Chilwan said. The lender, which currently makes some 95 percent of its revenue within the United Arab Emirates, says it is entering a growth phase domestically and internationally. It is exploring opportunities in Indonesia, Kenya and surrounding countries in Africa, the Indian subcontinent and the GCC. Expansion could be realized via acquisition, a Joint Venture, a finance company or a greenfield operation as long as DIB keeps management control and operates under its brand, Chilwan added. However, Chilwan said the bank also expected strong growth in its domestic market, so the balance between local and international business would not change radically.

Dubai Islamic Bank has revealed plans to expand its operations to Africa as well as Asia, as it seeks growth for its domestic and international business. According to DIB’s chief executive Adnan Chilwan, the bank is exploring opportunities in Indonesia, Kenya and surrounding countries in Africa, the Indian subcontinent and the GCC, with the hope of doing this via acquisition, Joint Venture, establishment of a finance company, or through a greenfield operation startup. Given a five-year scenario, the bank expects a decent franchise spread across these countries with stable and solid yields across all sectors. International business is estimated getting at best 10 to 15 percent of the overall group numbers in about six to eight years.

The Islamic Development Bank (IDB) Group and the Republic of Chad have signed an agreement worth 3.14 million US Dollars to support a dual Arabic-French education development project in the first level of secondary education. The project will be financed through a loan from the IDB and the Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development affiliated to the IDB. The agreement was signed by the Chairman of the Islamic Development Bank, IDB, Group, Dr. Ahmad Mohamed Ali, and Mariam Mohamed, Minister of Economy, Planning and International Cooperation and Governor the Islamic Development Bank branch in Chad. The meeting discussed relations with the IDB Group and ways of boosting them and the features of the programme of the strategic partnership between the two sides, which will be launched soon.

The Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB) successfully organised four events in Khartoum, Sudan on 18 - 20 February 2014. The Insurance Supervisory Authority of Sudan hosted the 6th Seminar on the Regulation of Takaful and the Facilitating the Implementation of the IFSB Standards (FIS) on Takaful while the Central Bank of Sudan (CBoS) was the host for the IFSB Meet the Members Session and the FIS Workshops on Banking. In addition, two workshops were held in Khartoum: the Facilitating the Implementation of the IFSB Standards (FIS) Workshops on Banking and the FIS Workshop on Takaful.

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has suspended the governor of the country’s central bank, Mr. Lamido Sanusi, on charges of “financial recklessness and misconduct” and “far-reaching irregularities.” The dismissal followed by days Sanusi’s claim that $20 billion in oil revenues was missing from government accounts. The president’s insistence that the move had nothing to do with Sanusi’s whistleblowing is not convincing. An investigation 18 months ago reportedly concluded that tens of billions of dollars in oil and gas revenue was missing from 2002 to 2012. No investigation followed up on these allegations and no prosecutions resulted. Not surprisingly, there has been an outflow of currency since the dismissal of Sanusi and a sharp plunge in the value of the national currency.

Kenya's financial regulator has proposed a separate regulatory framework for Islamic financial institutions as part of a broad ten-year strategy designed to boost capital markets. A draft of the strategy was circulated early this year and the plan is now in its final stages of preparation. It aims to promote more sophisticated financial services in Kenya. In the short term, the CMA plans to create a regulatory framework of its own for Islamic capital markets, focusing on corporate governance, information disclosure, a policyholder compensation fund and responsible pricing. In the long term, however, the CMA would engage the central bank and national Treasury to develop a separate policy, legislative and regulatory framework for Islamic finance.

The investment management firm Lotus Capital Limited has been honoured as the best in Africa by the Islamic Finance News (IFN). Lotus Capital won the Africa Deal of the Year Award as the lead issuing house for the N11.4 billion Osun state sukuk issue, which was listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) in September 2013. The issue was oversubscribed by about 20 per cent. The Osun state government, represented by the Honourable Commissioner of Finance, and the Solicitors to the Issue, Kola Awodein and Co, were also award recipients for the deal. Besides, Lotus also developed the country's first Islamic Index on the NSE, known as the “NSE Lotus Islamic Index” or NSE LII. The Index recorded +44.21 per cent in 2012 and +61.84 per cent in 2013.

INVITATION TO A RESEARCH INQUIRY
Anti-Terrorism Legislation and Impact in Cross Border Giving

The World Congress of Muslim Philanthropy’s Academy of Philanthropy is leading a research inquiry in collaboration with Cass Business School’s Centre for Charity Effectiveness. After London and Doha, the last of the three dialogues will take place in New York.

This concerns the barriers to giving for international development and relief that affect donors and recipients alike, in the light of continuing international agreements and practices enshrined in legislation. Our work is seeking to identify ways forward for international dialogues to best support and enhance accountable giving and its efficient flow between nations. The findings of the research will be reported to the WCMP’s biennial Global Donor’s Forum, to be held in Washington, DC from April 14-16, 2014.

Donors, nonprofit and development sector representatives, and financial institution executives are welcomed to participate in the dialogue and share their experiences and offer suggestions.

Tuesday, March 4, 2014 - 10.00 am to 4.00 pm
Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Observer Mission to the UN

After the suspension of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, a report of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria was published. The council also advised the President to cause the CBN Governor to cease from holding that office.

The link shows the details of the accusations, which came after the Governor accused the national oil company of USD 20 bn fraud.

Most critics of Sanusi start with the idea that the Nigerian Central Bank had over-reached its mandate. Although they are probably right, his activities must be applauded in a country where institutional failure has reached epic proportions. Sanusi has been a clear promoter of industrial policy for many years. His passion for tackling the oil sector corruption started on day one of his job. In parse ing through the bad debts that had been run up by the banks, he saw the cancer of the fuel subsidy racket. He didn’t flinch in taking on the banks, he didn’t flinch in taking on the fuel subsidy cabal, he didn’t flinch in taking on the power cabal, he didn’t flinch in taking on the NNPC. Is he a one-man anti-corruption agency – of course not. But if not him, then who? Nigeria is about to find out.

The former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi claimed that 20 billion US dollars had gone missing from the coffers of the NNPC. Two weeks later, he was been suspended and relieved of his duties. As a next step, he will probably be subjected to a formal probe and the EFCC will be called in to investigate his tenure of office. Femi Fani Kayode commends his immense courage for speaking out and exposing the monuemental corruption in the government that he once served and that has now decided that they no longer require his services. Kayode is convinced that if you speak truth to power and you take on the system, the system will fight back and they will attempt to destroy you and all that is yours. Yet at the end of the day, the only road that is worth taking is the road of righteousness and truth, and it is the only one that leads to lasting honour and glory.

Nigeria's central bank governor Lamido Sanusi has been suspended by the president for "financial recklessness and misconduct". Mr Sanusi caused shockwaves in Nigeria when he alleged that $20bn (£12bn) in oil revenue had gone missing. He said he would challenge his suspension in order to preserve the central bank's independence. Meanwhile, foreign exchange, bond and money markets have stopped trading because of uncertainty caused by the move. The president, however, does not have the power to sack the central bank governor - only the National Assembly can do this. Although his term in office was due to end in June, the decision to suspend him now is still highly significant. Many Nigerians will think the president has chosen to suspend the whistleblower rather than focus on stopping fraud.

This exclusive interview with Sanusi Lamido Sanusi took place after SaharaReporters followed the ousted CBN governor from the airport to a residence in Lagos shortly after his arrival from Niamey in Niger Republic following his ouster from office by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Our employer of the week has several vacancies to offer job seekers out there. Gulf African Bank which opened its doors in the country in 2008 is looking for customer service officers, product development, shariah compliance officers and tellers. Swaleh Sharif who is the human resource director says the deadline to submit your applications is in two months’ time.

Last November, Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta attended the third Arab-Africa Summit in Kuwait. The visit and subsequent bilateral discussions were largely geared at establishing and strengthening joint financing mechanisms for capital intensive infrastructural projects through strong economic ties. During the visit, the Treasury realised Kenya was a member of the Islamic Development Bank which could help the country to tap more funds and become a highly industrializing, middle-income economy in the next 16 years. While over short term the country is focused on tapping into conventional financing streams from the dominantly Islamic Arab countries, it is angling herself to become the East and Central African hub for Islamic finance and banking over medium to long term period.

The first ever Islamic re-insurance is expected to be launched this year as the Kenya Reinsurance Corporation ventures into Sharia-compliant business. The Capital Markets Authority says in its new 10-year master plan that Kenya Re has the potential to provide a regional platform for this product since it has presence in West Africa and Middle East markets. The master plan has also proposed for the creation of a regulatory framework for Islamic capital markets focusing on corporate governance, disclosures, a policyholder compensation fund and responsible pricing. The CMA has in addition proposed the development of a separate policy, legislative and regulatory framework for Islamic products and services covering Islamic financial institutions, financial regulators, Islamic groups and the Ministry of Finance. This policy will run parallel to the conventional Act.

For many years we see in the media experts believing in inflation and even hyper inflation. However, in the same time we face proponents warning against deflation. So far we all noticed.

Only a about a week ago I read an article by Myret Zaki clarifying that unfortunately inflation and deflation co-exists.

Myret Zaki's thesis is that we face inflation on financial markets, and deflation in the real economy (in French):

http://www.bilan.ch/myret-zaki/redaction-bilan/inflation-et-deflation-co...

In my view there is a general major shift in the price matrix and I still try to figure the magnitude and implications thereof. It is a bit irritating as at University we learned about neutrality of money:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutrality_of_money

This means any extra supply will increase prices equally, 5 % more money, all prices going up 5 %. Pretty plausible at first hand. However, it seems it does not work in reality any more (or never did).

Jaiz Bank Plc Shareholders' Fund grew by 53 percent to N10.1 billion in 2012 from about N6.45 billion in the previous year, according to its 2012 financial statement. Also, its depositors’ funds stood at N3.29 billion while total investment in the period under review amounted to N1.96 billion. Gross earnings during the period stood at N79.560 million. However, the bank recorded an operating loss of N1.07 billion in 2012. Its total assets climbed to N14.1 billion, from N5 billion in January 2012. The bank's Chairman, Board of Directors, Alhaji Umaru Mutallab said that necessary steps had been taken to ensure the bank obtained a national license aiming to establish its presence in all states of the federation within the next five to six years. The strategies for realising the set targets will include aggressive deposit drive, investment in the real sector of the economy and also in agriculture.

Abdul Rahman Hassan Abdul Rahman Hashim has been named Governor of the Central Bank of Sudan, replacing former Finance Minister Mohamed Khair al-Zubair who served as Central Bank Governor since 2011. Abdel Rahman Hassan took on the post after being General Manager of state-owned Omdurman National Bank since 2006. He had previously held a number of positions in Omdurman National Bank and before that with Faisal Islamic Bank. Both the new Governor and the former Governor are members of Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir’s ruling National Congress Party.