Overview

Absa Group Limited is a major pan-African financial services group headquartered in South Africa. It offers banking, wealth management, business and corporate banking, insurance, and investment services. Absa was formerly associated with Barclays in many African countries but rebranded to Absa over a phased period.

Key Stats / Structure

Absa Bank Limited (South Africa) is the flagship bank of the group.

Headquarters: Absa Towers West, 15 Troye Street, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Regulated by the Reserve Bank of South Africa.

Publicly listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange under the ticker ABG.

Geography: Where Absa Operates

Absa has subsidiaries and operations across several African countries, including:

Tanzania: Absa Bank Tanzania Ltd., formerly Barclays Bank Tanzania.

Kenya: Absa Bank Kenya PLC.

Uganda: Absa Bank Uganda Ltd.

Zambia: Absa Bank Zambia.

Mauritius: Absa Bank (Mauritius) Ltd.

Products & Services

Absa offers a wide range of banking services, such as:

Current and savings accounts.

Personal, business, and home loans.

Debit and credit cards.

Digital and mobile banking platforms.

International payments and foreign exchange.

In Tanzania

Absa Bank Tanzania Limited is a subsidiary of Absa Group.

Originally established as Barclays Bank Tanzania, later rebranded.

Operates about 15 branches nationwide, including major cities like Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Morogoro, and Mbeya.

Provides accounts in Tanzanian shillings, with associated fees for services like cheque books and ATM withdrawals.

Account opening requires specified documents.

Recent & Governance

Kenny Fihla is the current Group CEO (appointed in 2025).

The group is focusing on cost optimisation, digital transformation, and strengthening its retail banking performance across Africa.