Africa Bonds

Moody’s downgraded South Africa on Friday, removing the battered sovereign’s final investment grade rating. Sentiment among investors and bankers was split, with some confident that borrowers will be able to lean on their relationship lenders if needed, and others worried about the economic hit which is heading the country’s way.

The pace of emerging markets borrowers’ requests for official institution funding, amid the shocking deterioration of their bond markets, is picking up pace. On Sunday, Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky said that he had discussed using International Monetary Fund resources to fight the economic impact of Covid-19.

A strengthening dollar and continued volatility in the oil price on Thursday gave a further battering to emerging markets, increasing borrowers' vulnerability.

The recent fall in the price of oil is having a knock-on effect on non-core currency issuance. While oil dependent markets could take a hit as their currencies weaken, some net importers could benefit from a stronger currency and safe haven flows.

South Africa’s Standard Bank has issued a $200m green bond, which was bought by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in its entirety. The deal is the largest green bond ever issued by an African borrower.

The Arab Republic of Egypt is set to become the first Middle East or North African sovereign to sell a green bond. But there are no “obvious suspects” for a follow-on deal, according to those in the market. While green bond issuance is taking root among the region's other borrower classes, the format has yet to grasp the attention of governments for whom, some say, the challenge of being greener is proving too great, writes Mariam Meskin.

The Arab Republic of Egypt has hired a group of international banks to arrange its debut green bond. Though the deal will be the first sovereign issue of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa region, it adds to a string of green issuance from corporates and banks, which are developing a taste for ESG-linked debt.

Frontier market bond issuance dropped in 2019, with sovereign issuance at its lowest figure since 2011, amid signs that private-sector creditors are pulling back from riskier countries.

Nabil Lahham has joined HSBC to head up advisory and corporate finance coverage for the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey. He was most recently at Perella Weinberg Partners.

Long duration bonds, such as Ghana’s 40 year tranche sold this week, are a great idea for African issuers, leaving the borrower’s ability to manage its debt in its own hands rather than at the whims of the market.

The Republic of Ghana printed a $3bn triple trancher on Tuesday from a book that was $14bn at launch, in a deal that included the longest ever bond from sub-Saharan Africa.

The Republic of Ghana has released price guidance for a dollar amortising triple tranche bond, including a deal with a 40 year weighted average life — the longest ever from a sub-Saharan African issuer, according to a lead manager on the note.