Friday, August 8, 2025
22.8 C
Lagos

African Dev Bank Unveils $3bn COVID-19 Fund for Africa

 
Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina

President

African Development Bank

 

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has raised an exceptional $3 billion in a three-year bond to help alleviate the economic and social impact the Covid-19 pandemic will have on livelihoods and Africa’s economies.
The Fight Covid-19 Social bond, with a three-year maturity, garnered interest from central banks and official institutions, bank treasuries, and asset managers including Socially Responsible Investors, with bids exceeding $4.6 billion.

This is the largest Social Bond ever launched in international capital markets to date, and the largest US Dollar benchmark ever issued by the Bank. It will pay an interest rate of 0.75%.
The African Development Bank Group is moving to provide flexible responses aimed at lessening the severe economic and social impact of this pandemic on its regional member countries and Africa’s private sector.
“These are critical times for Africa as it addresses the challenges resulting from the Coronavirus. The African Development Bank is taking bold measures to support African countries. This $3 billion Covid-19 bond issuance is the first part of our comprehensive response that will soon be announced. This is indeed the largest social bond transaction to date in capital markets. We are here for Africa, and we will provide significant rapid support for countries,” said Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank Group.
The order book for this record-breaking bond highlights the scale of investor support, which the African Development Bank enjoys, said the arrangers.
“As the Covid-19 outbreak is dangerously threatening Africa, the African Development Bank lives up to its huge responsibilities and deploys funds to assist and prepare the African population, through the financing of access to health and to all other essential goods, services and infrastructure,” said Tanguy Claquin, Head of Sustainable Banking, Crédit Agricole CIB.
Coronavirus cases were slow to arrive in Africa, but the virus is spreading quickly and has infected nearly 3,000 people across 45 countries, placing strain on already fragile health systems.
It is estimated that the continent will require many billions of dollars to cushion the impact of the disease as many countries scrambled contingency measures, including commercial lockdowns in desperate efforts to contain it. Globally, factories have been closed and workers sent home, disrupting supply chains, trade, travel, and driving many economies toward recession.
Commenting on the landmark transaction, George Sager, Executive Director, SSA Syndicate, Goldman Sachs said: “In a time of unprecedented market volatility, the African Development Bank has been able to brave the capital markets in order to secure invaluable funding to help the efforts of the African continent’s fight against Covid-19. Not only that, but in the process, delivering their largest ever USD benchmark. A truly remarkable outcome both in terms of its purpose but also in terms of a USD financing.”
The Bank established its Social Bond framework in 2017 and raised the equivalent of $2 billion through issuances denominated in Euro and Norwegian krone. In 2018 the Bank was designated by financial markets, ‘Second most impressive social or sustainability bond issuer” at the Global Capital SRI Awards.
“We are thankful for the exceptional level of interest the Fight Covid-19 Social Bond has raised across the world, as the African Development Bank moves towards lessening the social and economic impact of the pandemic on a continent already severely constrained. Our Social bond program enables us to highlight our strong development mandate to the investor community, allowing them to play a part in improving the lives of the people of Africa. This was an exceptional outcome for an exceptional cause,” said Hassatou Diop N’Sele, Treasurer, African Development Bank.
Fight Covid-19 was allocated to central banks and official institutions (53%), bank treasuries (27%) and asset managers (20%). Final bond distribution statistics were as follows: Europe (37%), Americas (36%), Asia (17%) Africa (8%,) and Middle-East (1%).

 

spot_img
spot_img

Hot this week

UBA Group Chair, Tony Elumelu, Seeks Critical Measures to Drive Africa’s Development

L-R: President, Central African Republic, Faustin-Archange Touadéra and Group...

148 Nigerians Win ₦23m in Stanbic IBTC’s Reward4Saving Season 4 Promo

Stanbic IBTC Bank has successfully enhanced the financial well-being...

NCC Hosts National Broadband Mapping System in Abuja

L-R: Project Manager, Africa-BroadBand (BB) Maps, International Telecommunication Union (ITU),...

Sterling Bank Names First Beneficiaries of ₦2B ‘Beyond Education’ Fund

Sterling Bank, Nigeria’s leading financial institution, has announced the...

Former CFI of NAICOM, Sunday Thomas, to Chair NAIPE 2025 Conference

The Nigerian Association of Insurance and Pension Editors (NAIPE)...

Topics

Brand Africa to Unveil Africa’s Top 100 Brands on Oct 22

Brand Africa is to release its highly anticipated 4th Brand Africa 100: Africa’s Best Brands rankings of the Top 100 Most Admired and Most Valuable brands in Africa at a Gala event at Sandton Convention Center on 22 October 2015. The rankings, first launched in 2011 at the 2nd Brand Africa FORUM, have been held in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2011 in partnership with Brand South Africa, in Nairobi, Kenya in 2014 in partnership with the Kenya Securities Exchange and in New York in 2013 partnership with African Business on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

Fidelity Bank CEO Celebrates Children’s Day 2025 in Lagos

Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Fidelity Bank Plc, Dr. Nneka...

Emirates Skywards Offers Flexibility, Elite Tier Extension to 2022

  Emirates Skywards, the award-winning loyalty programme of Emirates and...

Old Mutual in Nigeria Announces Change of Name to emPLE

Upon receipt of all necessary approvals from the National...

AIO 2020 Postponed to Oct 3 over Coronavirus

  The Executive Committee of the African Insurance Organisation (AIO)...

NCC: ‘We’re Making Progress in Enthroning 5G for Digital Economy’

L-R: Lead Consulting Strategist, DigitalSENSE Africa/Group Executive Editor, ITREALMS...

Polaris Bank: Exclusive Banking Product, Partnership Excites Customers

One of Nigeria's leading retail banks, Polaris Bank has...

Tinubu Appoints Board of Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation

To further expedite the process of expanding consumer credit...
spot_img

Related Articles

Popular Categories

spot_imgspot_img