Vera Daves de Sousa said that, in 2022, there was an increase in the transformation ratio of the banking sector (ratio between customer loans and customer deposits), by around 3.8 percentage points, from 23, 6 percent in 2021 to 27.4 percent last year.
"Despite this evolution, this indicator is far below what is seen, for example, in South Africa (above 90 percent), in Portugal (around 80 percent) and in Nigeria (where the legal imposition of the transformation ratio must be at least 65 percent)", said Vera Daves de Sousa when opening the presentation session of the Banking in Analysis Study, by Deloitte Angola.
Speaking to the press, Vera Daves de Sousa also highlighted the positive evolution in means of payment, with "encouraging indicators in the issuance and use of multicaixa cards, in 'homebanking' services and in the payment of services to the State via RUPE [Single Reference of Payment to the State]".
Vera Daves de Sousa also highlighted the encouraging indicators of "some banks that were having a very negative performance and that are already starting to show signs of, not only reducing the negative result, but - more recent data from the beginning of 2023 - to move to positive results, as is the case of BPC [Savings and Credit Bank]".
"However, we continue to face challenges with regard to bad loans, despite overdue loans more specifically, despite the improvement in the indicator from [20]21 to [20]22, we continue to have a high rate, which demonstrates that the banks should continue to make efforts to create impairments", she said.
According to the Minister of Finance, challenges remain regarding the geographic coverage of banking services, a situation that banks will be able to reverse "using efficiency criteria".
"In some cases it will not be possible to place a branch, a post is placed, a partnership is made with commercial agents, so the banks will have to be a little innovative in this domain", she observed.
In her opening speech, Vera Daves de Sousa demystified the "tradition that banks do not lend to entrepreneurs, because they lend to the State", arguing that what exists is "the scarce demand for solvent credit from banks".
"In reality, in order to have access to bank credit, companies must endow themselves with equity, have appropriate ratios of financial autonomy, improve their accounting and management information, make their balance sheets and submit credible business plans to the banks, compatible with the necessary risk assessment criteria", she stressed.
To the press, Vera Daves de Sousa reinforced that the process should involve those seeking financing, "who should seek to structure themselves in the best way possible", banks, which should support entrepreneurs in the process of structuring their business plans, strengthening of capacity, and the State institutions dedicated to this purpose.
"We also challenge consulting companies like Deloitte and others that operate in the market not to focus only on large corporations, to also have an offer prepared for small and medium-sized companies, with prices adjusted to the ability to pay of these companies", said Vera Daves de Sousa.
The holder of the Finance portfolio added that in the field of taxation there is also a set of proposals that were presented and decided on at the last meeting of the Economic Commission, so that "each one doing their part" will have "a stronger private sector, more active, and the State will progressively reduce weight, participation, in economic activity".
"And this dichotomy of financing the private sector versus the State will naturally blur, but for that, each of us has to contribute so that the financial institutions that already play their role do more and more and so that those that are still timidly giving these spaces reinforce the position", she stressed.
