The exposure of African financial sectors to global risks, including the likely fall-out of the on-going European debt crisis, continues to be limited. African financial sectors have received much recognition for their steady growth performance and resilience during and after the 2008 global financial crisis. Many of the transmission channels for global risks and financial contagion to financial sectors in Africa are narrow or of limited potential influence. This note analysis the recent performance of African financial sectors, the degree of their exposure to European banking sector risks, the observable impact of a decline in global investor confidence, as well as the link between fiscal and monetary policy and financial sector development. The analysis in this paper focuses primarily on the potential impact of the European debt crisis on the performance of African financial sectors and the credit intermediation channel. The analysis both assesses how a transmission channel affects the stability and solvency of African financial institutions and how it affects the ability of African firms and governments to access funding.