The Capital Markets Authority, in collaboration with the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, recently released a report on Islamic/Participatory Finance.
The report, which establishes findings from a survey targeting respondents from sectors including banking, Insurance, Cooperatives, pension funds, capital markets, and others, was designed to gain insight into stakeholders’ perception of Islamic/Participatory capital markets products & services.
Participatory Finance is a rapidly growing system of Finance that encompasses common ethical principles that among other things prohibit charging of interest and speculation while encouraging mutual risk-sharing.
Major Islamic/Participatory finance products include :
- Murabaha (cost plus profit) – A financing structure in which the seller provides the cost and profit margin of an asset.
- Musharakah – partnership.
- Mudarabah – a form of a business contract in which a party brings capital while the other provides personal effort.
- Islamic Funds
- Shariah Auditors.
- Ijarah – lease agreement.
- Takaful – Insurance.
- Sukuk – financial certificates commonly related to bonds.
In order to enhance the growth of Islamic/Participatory Finance, the report proposes :
- Increase in public awareness through public participation forums.
- Marketing of the products & services to improve brand visibility.
- Strengthening the regulatory and legal framework.
- Aligning of policy frameworks with the Islamic shariah concept and principles.
- Establishment of a central shariah board.
Latest 2018 statistics show that the global Islamic finance industry grew by 11% in 2017 to reach $2.4 trillion in assets compared to 2016, with growth expected to reach $3.8 trillion by 2023.
In the strategic plan 2018/2023, the Capital Markets Authority is set to facilitate the issuance of Islamic capital markets products in an effort to facilitate the development, diversification, and uptake of capital markets products and services.
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