Angola's Kwanza Added to SADC Payment System to Facilitate Regional Trade

Angola Kwanza SADC payment system regional trade multi‑currency settlement

Angola has formally integrated its national currency, the kwanza, into the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Real‑Time Gross Settlement system (SADC‑RTGS), also known as the SADC Integrated Regional Electronic Settlement System (SIRESS). The move was announced by South African Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago and Banco Nacional de Angola Governor Manuel Tiago Dias, making the kwanza the second settlement currency after the South African rand.

The integration is intended to lower transaction costs, cut foreign‑exchange conversion steps and speed up cross‑border payments for businesses across the 15‑member SADC bloc. Five Angolan commercial banks – Banco Angolano de Investimentos (BAI), Banco Internacional de Crédito (BIC), Banco de Negócios Internacional (BNI), Banco Crédito Sul (BCS) and Banco Yetu – will operate on the platform. The change supports broader regional financial integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and paves the way for additional currencies, with Botswana’s pula slated as the next candidate.

Entities

Angola · Kwanza · Lesetja Kganyago · Manuel Tiago Dias · South African Reserve Bank

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[○ 1 SOURCE] The SADC‑RTGS system serves 15 member states and was launched in 2013. sapo.pt
[○ 1 SOURCE] Botswana's pula is planned as the next currency to be integrated into the SADC payment system. sapo.pt
[● 2 SOURCES] The integration was announced by SARB Governor Lesetja Kganyago and BNA Governor Manuel Tiago Dias. africa.businessinsider.com · sapo.pt
[● 2 SOURCES] The integration aims to reduce transaction costs and foreign‑exchange conversion requirements for cross‑border trade in the SADC region. www.archynewsy.com · africa.businessinsider.com
[● 3 SOURCES] Angola's kwanza has been integrated into the SADC Real‑Time Gross Settlement system. www.archynewsy.com · africa.businessinsider.com · sapo.pt
[○ 1 SOURCE] Five Angolan commercial banks – BAI, BIC, BNI, BCS and Yetu – are participants in the SADC‑RTGS system. sapo.pt
[● 2 SOURCES] The integration supports regional financial integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). www.archynewsy.com · africa.businessinsider.com
[● 2 SOURCES] The kwanza becomes the second settlement currency in the system after the South African rand. africa.businessinsider.com · sapo.pt

Sources

Angolan Kwanza Joins SADC Payment System to Boost Regional Trade - Archynewsy [www.archynewsy.com]

18 days ago

Africa’s largest economy takes major step towards local-currency trade as Angola’s kwanza joins regional payment system [africa.businessinsider.com]

18 days ago

Kwanza é segunda moeda integrada no sistema de pagamentos transfronteiriços da SADC [sapo.pt]

18 days ago