Africa Loans

Rothschild & Co has appointed Martin Kingston as executive chairman of its board in South Africa, among other personnel moves in the country.

Ghana Cocoa Board has signed its first sustainability-linked loan facility, kick-starting this year’s environmental, social and governance financing in emerging markets. The deal emerges as a trio of global trade bodies have launched a set of standards to codify this fast-growing market segment, which some financiers are still trying to come to terms with. Mariam Meskin and Mike Turner report.

Some investors are beginning to fear that the rally in emerging markets is running out of rope. Threats to Chinese growth could carry over and damage the prospects of emerging markets economies, according to Jupiter Asset Management.

Nedbank is planning to tap the market for a new loan, the first of an expected parade of South African bank borrowers. While bankers still worry about aspects of lending into the country, including a potential ratings downgrade and political uncertainty, appetite remains strong.

The Ivory Coast is set to tap the loan market to raise long-term financing. Market spectators were confident about the sovereign's chances. Its currency peg against the euro has proved attractive to both investors and lenders in recent years.

A number of top tier South African banks are expected to hit the loan market in the coming months, and bankers are welcoming what are some of the most attractive credits on the continent. But the country faces a number of dilemmas, which threaten to thump its credit ratings, writes Mariam Meskin.

The Kenyan sovereign is in talks with banks to refinance a $1bn term loan set to expire in March.

Chinese state banks take a lot of criticism for the amount of lending they do in Africa. But what the detractors fail to acknowledge is the lack of competition from Western banks, especially from US houses. As borrowing needs across Africa grow, the question must be asked: if the Chinese banks don't lend to Africa, which ones in the West will?

GlobalCapital revealed the winners of its 2018 Loan Awards at its annual Syndicated Loans and Leveraged Finance Awards Dinner at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower in London on February 6. The complete results are below. GlobalCapital congratulates all the winners and nominees.

Mauritius Commercial Bank is looking for a syndicated loan, in a rare deal to pass across London desks so far this month that is not a refinancing exercise.

African Export-Import Bank has closed a $500m five year term loan, it announced on Wednesday, partly guaranteed by the Export-Import Bank of China. The presence of a mainly Asian syndicate has sparked discussion about the continually increasing Chinese capital flowing into Africa.

Pessimism hangs over Nigeria's chances of entering the loan market in 2019 as the country battles an economic slowdown, a commodity slump and political uncertainty. But not all loans bankers are so glum about the chances of Africa's most populous nation and biggest oil producer raising debt from international financiers.