Financial sectors in low-income sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are among the world's least developed. In fact, assets in most low-income African countries are smaller than those held by a single medium-sized bank in an industrial country. The absence of deep, efficient financial markets seriously...

Intro -- Contents -- Preface -- Introduction -- Key Characteristics -- Economic Challenges -- Financial Sector Reforms -- Elements of a Forward-Looking Reform Strategy -- Earlier Financial Sector Liberalization Efforts -- Development Banks and Specialized State-Owned Financial Institutions --...