Fitch Ratings |

Ghana’s Long Fiscal Consolidation Plan Has Slippage Risk

ACCRA (Capital Markets in Africa) – The slow pace of the consolidation path outlined by Ghana’s 2021 budget statement, presented on 12 March, and by the accompanying medium-term fiscal framework leaves Ghana exposed to a heavy debt-service burden and risks of fiscal slippage, says Fitch Ratings. The path is supported by new revenue measures and the gradual implementation of expenditure cuts. We indicated that our assessment of the medium-term trajectory of public debt would be…

Fitch: T-Bill Supply Slowdown May Hurt Nigerian Bank Profits

Posted on by The Editorial Team

LAGOS(Capital Markets in Africa) – Nigerian banks may find it more difficult to sustain profitability given the decline in net treasury bill (T-bill) issuance in Nigeria’s 1Q18 issuance programme, Fitch Ratings says. The slowdown in T-bill issuance marks a change of strategy as the government looks to increase its financing from external sources and longer-dated domestic issuances. Record T-bill issuance in 2017 helped support the Central Bank of Nigeria’s strategy to maintain naira exchange-rate stability….

Fitch affirms African Development Bank at ‘AAA’; outlook stable

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ABIDJAN (Capital Markets in Africa) – Fitch Ratings has affirmed the African Development Bank’s (AfDB) Long-Term Issuer Default Rating (IDR) at ‘AAA’ with a Stable Outlook and Short- Term IDR at ‘F1+’. The ‘AAA’ rating primarily reflects extraordinary support from AfDB’s shareholders, assessed by Fitch at ‘aaa’, which provides a three-notch uplift over the bank’s intrinsic rating. AfDB enjoys strong support from its 80 member states, which include 26 non-African countries with high average ratings….

South Africa Avoids a Second Fitch Cut as Rating Affirmed

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JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – South Africa avoided a second downgrade in two months from Fitch Ratings Ltd. as the company left its assessment of the nation’s debt at the highest non-investment grade. The local- and foreign-currency ratings were affirmed at BB+, Fitch said in an emailed statement Thursday. The outlook on both assessments was kept at stable. Fitch and S&P Global Ratings cut their assessments of South Africa’s foreign-currency debt to the highest junk level in…

Fitch Affirms Morocco at ‘BBB-‘; Outlook Stable

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RABAT (Capital Markets in Africa) – Fitch Ratings-Hong Kong-07 April 2017: Fitch Ratings has affirmed Morocco’s Long-Term Foreign- and Local-Currency Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs) at ‘BBB-‘ with a Stable Outlook. The issue ratings on Morocco’s senior unsecured foreign and local currency bonds have also been affirmed at ‘BBB-‘. The Country Ceiling has been affirmed at ‘BBB’ and the Short-Term Foreign- and Local-Currency IDRs at ‘F3’. KEY RATING DRIVERS Morocco’s ratings are driven by its economic…

Fitch: South Africa Cabinet Reshuffle Signals Policy Change

Posted on by The Editorial Team

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – South African president Jacob Zuma’s cabinet reshuffle signals a change in policy direction and will raise political tensions within the ANC and its traditional allies, potentially weakening public finances and standards of governance, Fitch Ratings says. The president announced that the new cabinet, in which he has replaced finance minister Pravin Gordhan with Malusi Gigaba, will work towards “radical socio-economic transformation.” In his February State of the Nation speech,…