While a spike in oil revenues is predicted to return government finances to a surplus for the first time since 2014, vital economic reforms appear as far off as ever.

NBK’s chief executive officer for Kuwait talks about the challenges facing the country’s banking sector, the lender’s international expansion, and digital banking brand Weyay.

KFH’s long-trailed acquisition of Bahrain’s AUB has further concentrated banking in the hands of the country’s two largest institutions.

Higher oil prices and an end to most coronavirus restrictions point to a rosy year ahead for local lenders, with new digital entrants set to raise fresh questions about consolidation.

The National Bank of Kuwait’s deputy CEO for Kuwait talks to John Everington about the outlook for the economy and the prospects for public–private partnerships.

Markaz's CEO Ali H Khalil discusses the importance of Kuwait’s stalled debt law, the outlook for deposits in the banking sector after 2021’s declines and the likelihood of consolidation in the local banking market.

Boubyan Bank is Kuwait’s second-largest bank and the country’s fourth-largest lender overall. Abdul Salam Al Saleh, the bank’s CEO for corporate banking, financial control, treasury and legal affairs, spoke to John Everington about the country’s economic outlook for 2022, the outlook for the local mortgage market and the impact of digital banking.

Kuwait’s economic challenges remain as entrenched as ever, even as higher oil prices are set to wipe out the country’s deficit.

While Kuwait’s fintech sector remains tiny compared with its Gulf neighbours, the country has taken big strides towards licensing new digital banks.

While Russia's invasion of Ukraine has boosted oil prices to multi-year highs, production constraints will constrain the benefit Kuwait enjoys. John Everington reports.