Reserve Bank of Malawi and AFRACA discuss training programmes and the digitalisation of rural financial services
The Governor of the Reserve Bank of Malawi met the AFRACA Secretariat in Nairobi on 16 September 2026, on the sidelines of the 2026 Annual Meetings of the Association of African Central Banks, hosted by the Central Bank of Kenya during its sixtieth anniversary week. Ms. Ngo B. Anny Caroll, Secretary General of the African Rural and Agricultural Credit Association, received the Governor and delegation at the Secretariat's offices at the CBK Institute of Monetary Studies.
The Governor and the Secretary General explored collaboration on inclusive finance, training, digitalisation and knowledge exchange.
Training programmes
The Secretary General presented AFRACA's training and capacity-building programmes, which are demand-driven and delivered to member institutions across the continent:
- Agricultural loan analysis
- Value chain finance
- Digital finance
- Enterprise risk management
Among AFRACA's 2026 initiatives are a research and capacity programme with CBK-IMS, a curriculum for public development banks, and the ECAF certification programme.
Digitalisation of financial services
On digitalisation, the presentation noted that digital channels reduce the cost of serving rural customers spread across wide areas and improve access to payments, savings and credit. It highlighted:
- Mobile and agent banking
- Digital payments and interoperability between systems
- Partnerships with fintech companies
- Consumer protection, cybersecurity and responsible digital credit
For central banks, AFRACA offers a regional platform to share regulatory approaches to digital and agricultural finance.
Follow-up
The meeting closed on the four steps proposed to each central bank: a focal point at the bank; one priority where collaboration can begin; the national institutions to connect with AFRACA; and a practical next step.
AFRACA thanks the Governor and the Reserve Bank of Malawi delegation for prioritising this exchange during the AACB meetings.
AFRACA works through six sub-regional divisions and more than 85 member institutions in 30 African countries.