Nigerian Bourse CEO Sees Further Delays in IPOs Amid Virus

Nigerian Bourse CEO Sees Further Delays in IPOs Amid Virus

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) — The Nigerian Stock Exchange expects more delays in initial public offerings as the coronavirus pandemic weighs on Africa’s second-biggest market, according to the chief executive. “We don’t think we will see IPOs in the short term, given some of the uncertainties Covid-19 has brought,” CEO Oscar Onyema said at a virtual conference on Wednesday. Companies seeking to raise capital are showing a preference for rights issues and private placements,…

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Equity Group’s Profit Tumbles as Provisions at Kenyan Bank Soar

Equity Group’s Profit Tumbles as Provisions at Kenyan Bank Soar

Nairobi (Capital Markets in Africa) — Kenya’s biggest bank by market value boosted provisions for loan losses more than sevenfold in the first quarter as the coronavirus struck East Africa’s largest economy. Equity Group Holdings increased provisions to 3.12 billion shillings ($29 million) compared with 410 million shillings a year earlier, while the board decided to withdraw its 2019 dividend to conserve cash during the pandemic, the Nairobi-based lender said in a statement on Thursday. First-quarter…

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Zambia Chooses Lazard as Financial Adviser for Debt Restructure

Zambia Chooses Lazard as Financial Adviser for Debt Restructure

LUSAKA (Capital Markets in Africa) — Zambia appointed Lazard Freres as financial adviser to help it restructure its external debt, the Finance Ministry said. The contract is worth $5 million and will last three years, the ministry said in a statement on Wednesday. “The government has no intention of unilaterally restructuring debt without consulting creditors,” Treasury Secretary Fredson Yamba said in the statement. “We will respect agreements and diligently use market-based instruments in our debt…

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African Lender to Probe AfDB’s President Following U.S. Pressure

African Lender to Probe AfDB’s President Following U.S. Pressure

ABIDJAN (Capital Markets in Africa) — The African Development Bank’s board agreed to an independent probe of its president, Akinwumi Adesina after the U.S. rejected an internal investigation that cleared him of allegations of favoritism, according to two people familiar with deliberations on the matter. Africa’s largest multilateral lender decided on the inquiry after several governments backed U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin’s criticism of a bank-led examination into the allegations, the people said, asking not to…

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Urgent Food Help to Africa Strained as Covid-19 Adds to Hunger

Urgent Food Help to Africa Strained as Covid-19 Adds to Hunger

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) — Fatou Fofana used to be able to support herself, her baby daughter and two other children by selling spices and stock cubes on the outskirts of Abidjan, Ivory Coast’s biggest city. But measures to contain the coronavirus have reduced her earnings to about $2 a day, leaving her reliant on local food aid to survive. The 39-year-old’s market stall was closed by authorities enforcing the country’s lockdown in late…

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Africa’s Top Fund Manager Appoints First CEO in 18 Months

Africa’s Top Fund Manager Appoints First CEO in 18 Months

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) — South Africa’s Public Investment Corp. appointed Abel Sitholeas its chief executive officer, filling a post vacated 18 months ago by his predecessor over accusations of questionable investment decisions. The appointment comes two months after a judicial inquiry found senior management flouted internal procedures and recommended sweeping changes to laws that govern the PIC. President Cyril Ramaphosa ordered the investigation in October 2018, one of a handful he’s instituted to probe alleged…

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Negative-Rate Debate Is Powering Gilts’ Longest Rally in Decade

Negative-Rate Debate Is Powering Gilts’ Longest Rally in Decade

LONDON (Capital Markets in Africa) — The longest U.K. bond rally in a decade has seen yields close in on German equivalents, fueled by the prospect that the Bank of England could cut interest rates below zero next year. Yield premiums on 10-year gilts over bunds have hit lows unseen since 2016, as bets increase that the BOE will add monetary stimulus to support an economy struggling with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. U.K….

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