African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) has announced an additional disbursement of US$925 million under the syndicated US$3.3 billion crude oil-backed prepayment facility sponsored by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited. This brings the total current funded facility size to US$ 3.175 billion.
Arranged and coordinated by Afreximbank, the accordion arrangement saw the raising of a combined total of US$925 million from a consortium of crude oil off-taker lenders including but not limited to the Oando Group and Sahara Energy Resource Limited.
Afreximbank acted as Mandated Lead Arranger, Technical and Modelling Bank, Bookrunner, Facility Agent, Offshore Account Bank, Intercreditor Agent and Collateral Agent for the transaction which is expected to provide further support for Nigeria’s macroeconomic stability and long-term economic growth while enhancing the country’s industrialization and trade development efforts.
This announcement follows the success of the first accordion tranche of the US$3.3 billion facility. In December 2023, the project received funded commitments totaling US$2.25 million. The US$925 million accordion arrangement raises the total amount disbursed to US$3.175 billion.
Commenting on the disbursement, Prof. Benedict Oramah, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Afreximbank, said: “The milestone achieved thus far, on this facility, demonstrates the Bank’s capabilities in performing its role as a crucial development partner for Africa. It reaffirms our commitment to assisting our member states in their efforts to achieve economic growth and stability. This funding will greatly support the attainment of Nigeria’s short and long-term economic development priorities.”
Prof. Oramah described the original facility as ‘a landmark’ for being the largest crude oil-backed facility in Nigeria and one of the largest syndicated debts raised in Africa, adding that the closure of the first accordion demonstrated the existence of positive market appetite for well-structured commodities-backed instruments.
Mele Kyari, Group CEO, NNPC Limited commended Afreximbank Management and team for their investment philosophy and active interest in the co-creation of prosperity. “The successful disbursement of the first accordion under project Gazelle and its interest in funding viable and strategic projects is a clear indication of investors’ confidence in NNPCL and Nigeria’s growth aspirations.” Said Mr. Kyari.
He further assured Afreximbank and all investing communities of NNPCL’s resolve to continue to grow the nation’s hydrocarbon resources and strengthen its partnerships across the oil and gas value chain locally, and globally.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.
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About Afreximbank:
African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is a Pan-African multilateral financial institution mandated to finance and promote intra-and extra-African trade. For 30 years, the Bank has been deploying innovative structures to deliver financing solutions that support the transformation of the structure of Africa’s trade, accelerating industrialization and intra-regional trade, thereby boosting economic expansion in Africa. A stalwart supporter of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), Afreximbank has launched a Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) that was adopted by the African Union (AU) as the payment and settlement platform to underpin the implementation of the AfCFTA. Working with the AfCFTA Secretariat and the AU, the Bank is setting up a US$10 billion Adjustment Fund to support countries to effectively participate in the AfCFTA. At the end of September 2023, Afreximbank’s total assets and guarantees stood at over US$33.4 billion, and its shareholder funds amounted to US$5.8 billion. Afreximbank has investment grade ratings assigned by GCR (international scale) (A), Moody’s (Baa1), Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) (A-) and Fitch (BBB). Afreximbank has evolved into a group entity comprising the Bank, its impact fund subsidiary called the Fund for Export Development Africa (FEDA), and its insurance management subsidiary, AfrexInsure, (together, “the Group”). The Bank is headquartered in Cairo, Egypt.
