Finance
Africa Central Banks
African Central Banks Push Lenders to Fund Companies Rather Than Buy Debt
African central banks are pushing lenders to cut purchases of government bonds and instead lend more to the local companies that are key to creating a functioning commercial economy.
Borrowing costs in some of sub-Saharan Africa’s biggest economies have barely budged even after central banks slashed interest rates. Average lending rates at commercial banks in Kenya were little changed at 13.85 percent in October compared with 14.2 percent in January last year even after the central bank cut its key rate to a record low of 6 percent. Ghana’s key rate of 13.5 percent compares with an average 28.5 percent charged by banks. Nigeria has capped lenders’ purchases of treasury bills and Mauritius may do the same.
Africa’s “top-tier corporate banks feel the risks are still too high,” said Graham Stock, chief strategist at London- based Insparo Asset Management, which oversees about $193 million in its Africa and the Middle East fund. “Poor decision- making led much of the developed world’s banking system into this crisis, so banks generally are right to be cautious.”
Spurring the commercial-loan market would give industry funds in a region the International Monetary Fund expects to grow 5.5 percent in 2011, less than its 6.4 percent estimate for all developing nations. The main concern for African central bankers is that inadequate lending may curb growth.
“What we haven’t seen, and people have been complaining about this,” is commercial banks following the trend to the same extent, Kofi Wampah, the first deputy governor of the Bank of Ghana, said in an Oct. 7 interview in Accra. The gap between the bank interest rates and the central bank should be 5 or 6 percentage points and because banks’ funds are “trapped in treasury bills,” it takes them months to follow the central bank in paring their rates, he said.
Banks say a lack of credit-profiling systems and legal consequences for those who default raises their caution.
“I would like to grow my loan book, but they have to be good loans,” said Sanjay Rughani, finance director at Standard Chartered Plc’s Ghanaian unit. Advances since the start of 2010 to end-September are largely unchanged from last year at 500 million cedis ($350 million), he said. The lender increased its holding of government debt to around 550 million cedis this year from 300 million cedis for the same period in 2009.
Kenya’s central bank has taken steps to improve transparency, granting CRB Africa the country’s first credit- rating agency license in February. Average rates for customers have remained high because banks are still seeing defaults on repayments, said Gideon Kariuki, chief executive officer of Co-operative Bank of Kenya Ltd., the country’s fourth-biggest bank by assets. Co- operative’s net non-performing loans rose 25 percent to 2.9 billion shillings ($36 million) in the year through December.
Still, “there is increased uptake of loans and the rates at commercial banks have come down,” he said. “The central bank has influenced that.” Co-operative offered a five-year loan to corporate customers for as little as 8.7 percent in September compared with as much as 13 percent a year ago.
Co-operative’s stock has more than doubled on the Nairobi Stock Exchange this year and three banks are among the 10 best- performing shares.
High lending rates are spurring companies to seek funds through less expensive debt and equity offers. Housing Finance Co., Kenya’s only publicly traded mortgage lender, sold 7 billion shillings of bonds last month, 80 percent of which pay a fixed rate of 8.5 percent to raise funds for lending. The rest of the securities have a floating rate.
“We opted for a bond as it’s cheaper than a bank loan and it’s difficult to get more than a five-year tenor from a bank,” Housing Finance’s Managing Director Frank Ireri said in an Oct. 8 e-mailed response to questions. In Nigeria, sub-Saharan Africa’s second-biggest economy, lending to private industry fell to a nine-month low of 9.91 trillion naira ($66 billion) in July after a debt crisis caused by loans to speculators who used the borrowed funds to buy stocks. Central bank Governor Lamido Sanusi said in a Sept. 27 interview he doesn’t expect banks to increase credit until at least the first quarter of 2011.
Lenders and investors bought Treasury bills, with the yield on 91-day securities declining to a record of 1.04 percent in March and averaging 2.26 percent this year, compared with a high of 22.5 percent in 2002, central bank data show. Securities with a similar maturity in the U.S. yielded 0.156 percent at 11:48 a.m. in New York. The central bank maintained its key lending rate near a record low of 6.25 percent at its Nov. 23 meeting. Banks’ average prime-lending rate was 16.9 percent in August, Sanusi said. That compares with 18.98 percent in the last quarter of last year.
The country plans to limit lenders’ holdings of government debt to 30 percent of their total portfolio of fixed-income securities and they won’t be allowed to hold more than 10 percent of the total issue of a single government debt security, the Abuja-based central bank said on Sept. 24.
Mauritius on Sept. 11 proposed capping banks’ holdings of government and central bank debt to “encourage banks to lend more aggressively rather than direct all their surplus funds to Treasury bills and official papers.” About 19 percent of residents in 18 sub-Saharan countries have bank accounts, according to a Gallup survey, and credit is mainly extended to companies, banks and their employees, Yvonne Mhango, an economist at Renaissance Capital, said from Johannesburg on Nov. 18. Land isn’t always under title deed and can be communally owned, and in cases where collateral is available, it isn’t always enforceable, she said. Sluggish credit extension in countries like Nigeria and Ghana “has stalled economic activity, reducing growth to below its full potential,” said Mhango. “Central banks are doing their part by lowering interest rates, but that alone won’t solve the problem.”
Finance
Afreximbank successfully closed its second Samurai Bond transactions, raising JPY 81.8bn or $527m
African Export-Import Bank said it has successfully closed its second Samurai bond transaction, securing a total of JPY 81.8 billion (approx. USD 527 million) through Regular and Retail Samurai Bonds offerings.
The execution surpasses the Bank’s 2024 debut issuance size, attracting orders from more than 100 institutional and retail investors, marking a renewed demonstration of strong Japanese investor confidence in the Bank’s credit and its growing presence in the yen capital markets.
On 18 November, Afreximbank priced a JPY 45.8 billion 3-year tranche in the Regular Samurai market following a comprehensive sequence of investor engagement activities leveraging Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9), including Non-Deal Roadshows (NDRs) in Tokyo, Kanazawa, Kyoto, Shiga and Osaka, a Global Investor Call, and a two-day soft-sounding process which tested investor appetite across 2.5-, 3-, 5-, 7-, and 10-year maturities.
With market expectations of a Bank of Japan interest rate increase, investor demand concentrated in shorter tenors, resulting in a focused 3-year tranche during official marketing.
The tranche attracted strong participation from asset managers (22.3%), life insurers (15.3%), regional corporates, and high-net-worth investors (39.7%).
Concurrently, Afreximbank priced its second Retail Samurai bond on 18 November, a JPY 36.0 billion 3-year tranche, more than double the inaugural JPY 14.1 billion Retail Samurai issuance completed in November 2024.
The 2025 Retail Samurai bond also marks the first Retail Samurai bond issued in Japan in 2025.
Following the amendment to Afreximbank’s shelf registration on 7 November 2025, SMBC Nikko conducted an extensive seven-business-day demand survey through its nationwide branch network, followed by a six-business-day bond offering period.
The offering benefited from strong visibility supported by Afreximbank’s investor engagement across the country, including the Bank’s participation at TICAD9, where Afreximbank hosted the Africa Finance Seminar to introduce Multinational Development Bank’s mandate in Africa and its credit profile to key Japanese institutional investors.
MBC Nikko Securities Inc. acted as Sole Lead Manager and Bookrunner for both the Regular and Retail Samurai transactions. Chandi Mwenebungu, Afreximbank’s Managing Director, Treasury & Markets and Group Treasurer, commented:
“We are pleased with the successful completion of our second Samurai bond transactions, which marked a significant increase from our inaugural Retail Samurai bond in 2024, and which reflect the growing depth of our relationship with Japanese investors.
The strong demand, both in the Regular and Retail offerings, demonstrates sustained confidence in Afreximbank’s credit and mandate.
We remain committed to deepening our engagement in the Samurai market through regular investor activities and continued collaboration with our Japanese partners.”
Ecobank Nigeria, a member of Africa’s leading pan-African banking group, has announced the launch of the Ecobank SME Bazaar—a two-weekend festive marketplace designed to celebrate local creativity, empower entrepreneurs, and give Lagos residents a premium shopping experience this Detty December. The Bazaar will hold on 29–30 November and 6–7 December at the Ecobank Pan African Centre (EPAC), Ozumba Mbadiwe Road, Victoria Island, Lagos. Speaking ahead of the event, Omoboye Odu, Head of SMEs, Ecobank Nigeria, reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to supporting small and medium-sized businesses, describing them as the heartbeat of Nigeria’s economy. She explained that the Ecobank SME Bazaar was created to enhance visibility for entrepreneurs, expand market access, and support sustainable business growth.
According to her, “This isn’t just a market—it’s a vibrant hub of culture, commerce, and connection. From fresh farm produce to trendy fashion, handcrafted pieces, lifestyle products, and delicious food and drinks, the Ecobank SME Bazaar promises an unforgettable experience for both shoppers and participating SMEs. Whether you’re shopping for festive gifts, hunting for unique finds, or soaking in the Detty December energy, this is the place to be.” Ms. Odu added that participating businesses will enjoy increased brand exposure, deeper customer engagement, and meaningful networking opportunities—making the Bazaar a strong platform for both festive-season sales and long-term business growth. The event is powered by Ecobank in partnership with TKD Farms, Eko Marche, Leyyow, and other SME-focused organisations committed to building sustainable enterprises.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said that16 banks have so far met the new capital requirements for their various licences, some four months before the March 31, 2026 deadline. The apex bank also indicated that 27 other banks have raised capital through various methods in one of the most extensive financial sector reforms since 2004. Addressing journalists at the end of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting in Abuja, CBN Governor Mr Olayemi Cardoso said the banking recapitalisation was going on orderly, consistent with the regulator’s expectations. He said, “We are monitoring developments, and indications show the process is moving in the right direction.” Nigeria has 44 deposit-taking banks, including seven commercial banks with international authorisation, 15 with national authorisation, four with regional authorisation, four non-interest banks, six merchant banks, seven financial holding companies and one representative office.
Cardoso explained that eight commercial banks had met the N500 billion capital requirement as of July 22, 2024, rising to 14 by September of the same year. The number has now increased to 16 as the industry continues to race toward full compliance. He said that the reforms would reinforce the resilience of Nigerian banks both within the country and across the continent. “We are building a financial system that will be fit for purpose for the years ahead. Many Nigerian banks now operate across Africa and have been innovative across different markets. These new buffers will better equip them to manage risks in the multiple jurisdictions where they operate,” Cardoso said. According to him, the reforms would strengthen the financial sector’s capability to support households and businesses. He said, “Ultimately, this benefits Nigerians—our traders, our businesses and our citizens—who operate across those regions. “It should give everyone comfort to know that Nigerian banks with deep local understanding are present to support them. Commercial banks are also creating their own buffers through the ongoing recapitalisation.”
He added that the apex bank considered several factors in determining the new capital thresholds, including prevailing macroeconomic conditions, stress test results and the need for stronger risk buffers. He reassured on the regulator’s commitment to strict oversight as the consolidation progresses. “We will rigorously enforce our ‘fit and proper’ criteria for prospective new shareholders, senior management, and board members of banks, and proactively monitor the integrity of financial statements, adequacy of financial resources, and fair valuation of banks’ post-merger balance sheets,” Cardoso said. He said the CBN remained confident that the banking system would emerge stronger at the conclusion of the recapitalization exercise, with institutions better prepared to support Nigeria’s economic transformation Banks have up till March 31, 2026 to beef up their minimum capital base to the new standard set by the apex bank. Under the new minimum capital base, CBN uses a distinctive definition of the new minimum capital base for each category of banks as the addition of share capital and share premium, as against the previous use of shareholders’ funds.
While most banks have shareholders’ funds in excess of the new minimum capital base, their share premium and share capital significantly fall short of the new minimum definition. The CBN had in March 2024 released its circular on review of minimum capital requirement for commercial, merchant and non-interest banks. The apex bank increased the new minimum capital for commercial banks with international affiliations, otherwise known as mega banks, to N500 billion; commercial banks with national authorisation, N200 billion and commercial banks with regional license, N50 billion. Others included merchant banks, N50 billion; non-interest banks with national license, N20 billion and non-interest banks with regional license will now have N10 billion minimum capital. The 24-month timeline for compliance ends on March 31, 2026. Under the guidelines for the recapitalisation exercise, banks are expected to subject their new equity funds to capital verification before the clearance of the allotment proposal and release of the funds to the bank for onwards completion of the offer process and addition of the new capital to its capital base. The CBN is the final signatory in a tripartite capital verification committee that included the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC). The committee is saddled with scrutinising new funds being raised by banks under the ongoing banking sector recapitalisation exercise.
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