On this issue, while firms’ profitability relative to total assets – i.e., ROA – has recovered to 3–3.5 percent, the average interest rate paid by firms declined to nearly 1.5 percent, and the gap between these two indicators has become large (Chart 10).
The sessions will also offer insights on the strategic challenges and opportunities facing digital finance in the region. 1  4. As is well recognized, Kenya has leveraged mobile phone technology and made remarkable strides in financial inclusion. A decade ago, Kenya was characterized by high poverty incidences and high levels of financial exclusion.