Banking Sector Integration and Competition in CEMAC

Jérôme Vacher and Samer Saab

No 2007/003, IMF Working Papers from International Monetary Fund

Abstract: This paper considers the extent of retail banking integration in the Communauté Economique et Monétaire d'Afrique Centrale (CEMAC) and the level of bank competition at the regional level. Using a mix of quantitative and qualitative indicators, the paper finds some evidence of price convergence in average interest rate spreads. However, this observed fact is not supported by an increase in cross-border flows in retail loans and deposits, and price convergence may merely reflect excess liquidity in the region. Other data also indicate that bank competition within the CEMAC as a region is limited, complementing the findings on integration. Addressing shortfalls in legal and regulatory frameworks, infrastructure, and markets would facilitate integration.

Keywords: WP; bank; CEMAC; bank competition; monetary union; banking sector integration; Standard Chartered bank Cameroon; group IV bank; executive secretariat; banking integration policy; CEMAC country; bank flow; unit price; Competition; Commercial banks; Financial integration; Excess liquidity; West Africa (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 25
Date: 2007-01-01
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/cat/longres.aspx?sk=20162 (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:imf:imfwpa:2007/003

Ordering information: This working paper can be ordered from
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/pubs/ord_info.htm

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in IMF Working Papers from International Monetary Fund International Monetary Fund, Washington, DC USA. Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Akshay Modi ().