Banking
Moody’s Assigns first-time B2 Issuer Rating to Ecobank
By Dipo Olowookere
Leading global rating company, Moody’s Investors Service (Moody’s) last week announced assigning first-time B2/Not Prime global local- and foreign-currency issuer ratings to Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI), a Pan-African bank holding company incorporated in Togo.
According to Moody’s, the long-term ratings carry a stable outlook and as part of its analysis, the rating agency also assigned a notional baseline credit assessment (BCA) and adjusted BCA of b2 and b1, respectively, based on ETI’s consolidated financial statements.
Moody’s explained that ETI’s ratings reflect the group’s stable funding and liquidity profile, expansive geographic and business diversification, recovering profitability and Moody’s assessment of a moderate probability of affiliate support in case of need.
It noted that these strengths are balanced against the group’s high, but potentially moderating, asset risks and modest capital buffers, which are largely legacy issues that the bank’s new management is pro-actively addressing as part of a broader strategic plan. The new strategy also introduces digitalization and cost-cutting initiatives.
The rating agency disclosed that the stable outlook balances ETI’s stable funding profile, recovering profitability and business diversification against the group’s elevated, but potentially moderating, asset risks and modest capital buffers, which the rating agency expects will only slowly improve over the next 12-18 months in the context of continued challenges in the external environment of emerging markets.
ETI is a pan-African banking group, with banking subsidiaries in 33 African countries and total assets of $21.6 billion as of June 2018. As a bank holding company incorporated in Togo, which is part of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), it is regulated by the Central Bank of the West African States (BCEAO), the regional central bank.
According to Moody’s, ETI’s BCA of b2 reflects the group’s stable funding and liquidity profile, recovering profitability, diversification benefits and improving, but still challenging, macro-economic conditions in the African continent, balanced against the group’s elevated asset risks and modest capital buffers.
More specifically, it said the ratings reflect ETI’s deposit-based funding structure, with customer deposits accounting for 71 percent of total assets as of June 2018, and with limited reliance on riskier short-term market funding.
ETI’s deposits are granular and have historically proved stable, while the bank also has access to longer-duration market funding, which helps support its liquidity management and better match the duration of its assets and liabilities.
The group also maintains strong liquidity buffers, with cash and interbank balances representing 19 percent of total assets, while it can also count on an additional 28 percent of investment securities and government bonds, most of which can be repurchased through its subsidiaries’ respective central banks to source additional liquidity in case of need.
Moody’s also noted that as a Pan-African bank with banking subsidiaries in 33 African countries, ETI can substantially benefit from geographic and business diversification. The granular nature of ETI’s operations, combined with its entrenched African franchise helps diversify credit, operational and business risks.
In addition, the group’s broad diversification might act as a counterweight in times of stress by giving ETI a range of alternative sources of income and resources when other parts of the group may face challenges. Moody’s incorporates such benefits in the standalone BCA of the group.
Moody’s also noted that the group’s revised strategy makes it clear that management is committed to ensuring that all banking subsidiaries follow strict loan underwriting and risk management standards while reporting an adequate return on equity, with a clear understanding that a rationalisation of the group’s footprint may be needed where these goals cannot be achieved in a timely manner.
During 2017 and H1 2018, the group has already recorded a significant improvement in its earnings generating capacity, supported by the new management team’s focussed strategy and reorganisation initiatives that have led to cost cutting and lower provisioning requirements (2.6 percent of gross loans for H1 2018 compared to 7.8 percent in 2016). For H1 2018, the group reported bottom-line profits to ordinary shareholders of $135 million, up 28 percent year-on-year.
According to Moody’s, another credit factor behind the ratings assigned today is Africa’s economy and operating environment. Moody’s recognises that economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa is accelerating, which will provide significant business opportunities for ETI, but also notes that the operating environment remains challenging. The rating agency uses a “Very Weak+” Macro Profile assessment for ETI, which is the weighted average of the Macro Profiles of the principal countries and regions in which the bank operates; more specifically: Cote d’Ivoire’s newly assigned “Weak-“; Nigeria’s “Very Weak+”; Ghana’s “Very Weak”; and Tanzania’s “Very Weak+”.
ETI’s ratings also reflect the group’s high asset risks, with the non-performing loans (NPLs)-to-gross loans ratio at 9.6 percent as of June 2018 and still high provisioning requirements (2.6 percent of gross loans for H1 2018).
Going forward, Moody’s said it does, however, expect a gradual reduction in NPL levels as economic growth accelerates and ETI strengthens its risk management capabilities and the new management’s on-going emphasis on improving its risk culture.
Similarly, Moody’s says considers the group’s capital buffers as modest, with the Moody’s-adjusted Basel II/III tangible common equity-to-risk-weighted assets ratio estimated at 5.6 percent as of December 2017, below the level reported by similarly-rated banks (of around 13 percent).
According to Moody’s, ETI’s major shareholders remain committed long-term investors, and Moody’s assesses that there is a moderate probability that they will support the institution with additional capital in case of stress. Moody’s therefore incorporates a one notch rating uplift due to affiliate support, placing ETI’s notional adjusted BCA at b1.
As a pan-African group with banking subsidiaries in 33 African countries, ETI remains an important institution for the African continent, and even more so for the WAEMU region, where it is incorporated and regulated by BCEAO, and where 40 percent of the group’s operations are situated. Although Moody’s does not impute any government support uplift, the rating agency assesses that in case of need the regulatory authorities will show flexibility and certain degree of forbearance that will allow enough time for management and shareholders to recapitalize the group.
ETI is a non-operational financial holding entity and its issuer rating is positioned one notch below its notional adjusted BCA of b1. This is because holding-company creditors are subordinated to creditors at banking subsidiaries in a bankruptcy or resolution context, and are thus likely to experience higher losses. This is also the case for ETI, which relies on the up-streaming of dividends from its investments to repay its own liabilities.
Moody’s said the stable outlook balances ETI’s relative strong funding and liquidity position, recovering profitability and business diversification benefits, against the group’s modest capital buffers and elevated — but potentially moderating — asset risks. Over the next 12 months, the rating agency expects that ETI’s NPL ratio will remain high despite a gradual reduction and lower NPL formation.
The rating agency said a rigorous implementation of management’s initiatives to strengthen the fundamental operations of the group and realise its full diversification potential, especially as measured by ETI’s non-performing loans and capital metrics, would lead to upward rating pressure.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Zenith Bank Plc has joined other global corporations to commemorate the 2026 World Environment Day with a two-phase environmental clean-up initiative in Lagos State.
The financial institution participated in the commemoration under the global theme Inspired by Nature. For Climate. For Our Future through a two-day event.
In the first phase, which was a morning clean-up conducted by staff of the Bank on Wednesday, 3 June 2026, along Ajose Adeogun Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, employees of the lender cleared waste, sensitised residents on proper disposal practices, and reinforced the bank’s culture of community service and environmental stewardship.
The second day, participants engaged in a waterways clean-up at the Falomo Waterways, Ikoyi, Lagos. This was in collaboration with the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) and the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA). The joint effort focused on removing marine debris, promoting cleaner waterways, and supporting the state’s broader climate-resilience agenda.
“At Zenith Bank, sustainability is integral to how we operate. Clearing our streets and our waterways is a practical reminder that protecting the environment is a shared responsibility – and one we are proud to take up alongside LAWMA and LASWA.
“Through these exercises, we are taking deliberate action to preserve our communities, support climate action, and inspire others to act. Our operations will continue to align with global environmental standards as we build a more sustainable future for Nigeria and Africa,” the chief executive of Zenith Bank, Ms Adaora Umeoji, stated.
Zenith Bank says it remains committed to embedding Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles across its operations, investing in green initiatives, energy efficiency, and community-focused programmes, in line with its commitment to environmental sustainability and responsible business practices.
These efforts advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals – particularly SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 13 (Climate Action). Sustainability remains an operational imperative across the Bank’s Nigerian base and its broader African, UK and European footprints.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The need to consider the usage of transaction data to design credit products for millions of small businesses in Nigeria has been emphasised by the chief executive of Moniepoint Incorporated, Mr Tosin Eniolorunda.
Speaking at a panel session at the launch of the Nigeria Payments System Vision 2028 (PSV 2028) by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) recently, the Moniepoint chief said transactions from the payments ecosystem could be tracked to unlock economic survival for millions of underserved businesses that have been historically shut out of formal credit markets.
PSV 2028 is a framework aimed at setting priorities and direction for the country’s payments infrastructure over the coming years, with financial inclusion, resilience, and innovation among its core pillars.
According to the CBN governor, Mr Yemi Cardoso, the new framework builds on Nigeria’s progress in digital payments and seeks to accelerate the country’s transition towards a more inclusive, technology-driven ecosystem as it continues to lead Africa’s digital payments ecosystem.
At the panel, Eniolorunda noted that “I believe the next phase of growth will come from layering services like credit onto existing payment flows, using the visibility and trust already built through financial transactions.”
Speaking on the power of payment infrastructure as a foundation for broader financial services, he argued that the data generated by payment systems, when used responsibly, holds the key to making credit faster and more accessible for underserved businesses.
“One of the most powerful things about payment infrastructure is the data it creates. When used responsibly, it can help unlock quicker and more accessible credit for businesses that have historically been underserved. For many small businesses, access has always been the real barrier,” he said.
“Achieving the ambitions of PSV 2028 will require regulators, banks, fintechs, and ecosystem players working together with a shared long-term vision,” Mr Eniolorunda added, echoing Governor Cardoso’s warning against the country’s historic “start-stop” policy cycles.
“Over the past two decades, Nigeria’s payments ecosystem has evolved into one of the most dynamic and innovative in the world. From instant payments and digital adoption to fintech-led innovation, our progress has often set the pace on the continent. While this progress has not always been fully reflected in global narratives, its impact on economic activities, financial inclusion, and system resilience is evident across our economy,” he said.
Business Post learned that the panel was moderated by the chief executive of Sterling Bank, Mr Abubakar Suleiman, and also featured the chief executive of the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) Plc, Mr Premier Oiwoh; his counterparts at Remita Payment Services Limited (RPSL), Mr Deremi Atanda; and Shared Agent Network Expansion Facilities (SANEF) Limited, Mrs Uche Uzoebo, among others.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The world’s first ICMA commercial bank-issued Nature Bond has been launched by Ecobank Group to mobilise global capital for the protection of Africa’s natural ecosystems.
The debt instrument, up to $450 million, will be tradable on the London Stock Exchange (LSE), creating a new route for international and African capital to protect Africa’s biodiversity.
The bond will support African farmers, sustainable agriculture businesses and water systems, protecting some of the planet’s most important ecosystems.
Africa is home to some of the world’s most important natural capital, including arable land, tropical forests, freshwater systems and biodiversity across hundreds of millions of hectares. But, until now, private nature capital has not flowed to Africa at the scale the continent’s ecological significance warrants in global ecological resilience. Despite hosting 25 per cent of global biodiversity, Africa receives less than 3 per cent of nature finance.
Ecobank’s Nature Bond is a direct response to this gap. It will support smallholder farmers adopting sustainable agricultural practices, agri-processors with verified deforestation-free supply chains, and water infrastructure protecting freshwater ecosystems relied upon by millions of people.
Unlike many conservation-focused financing vehicles, Ecobank’s Nature Bond channels capital directly through Africa’s real economy — financing businesses and communities whose day-to-day activities shape environmental outcomes at scale.
The investments will be made in 24 markets, with significant deployment in biodiversity-priority countries such as Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso and Ghana. Importantly, 81 per cent of the eligible lending pool is allocated to countries where agricultural land-use change is the primary driver of biodiversity loss, helping direct capital to the areas where it can have the greatest environmental impact.
The framework also incorporates independent monitoring and verification mechanisms, including deforestation screening and supply chain traceability requirements, helping ensure that financed activities deliver measurable nature-positive outcomes. Every eligible loan carries seven independently verified sustainability conditions.
A Nature Bond, under the ICMA secondary designation, requires proceeds to actively contribute to nature-positive outcomes, including transforming economic activities to reduce the drivers of nature loss at scale.
The Nature Bond was designed to reach those that conservation-focused instruments were not designed to serve – farmers, agri-processors and water operators whose daily activities collectively determine ecosystem outcomes.
While green bonds typically finance a broad range of environmental objectives, the Nature Bond designation focuses the use of proceeds specifically on nature-related outcomes, including biodiversity, sustainable agriculture, land use and water infrastructure.
“This transaction is a defining moment for African sustainable finance. Investors did not just support this bond. They demanded more of it, allowing us to increase the size and tighten pricing.
“We are not a bank that simply labels bonds. We have spent four years building the systems, governance and accountability needed to make nature finance credible and scalable in Africa.
“This bond is ultimately about the farmers, cooperatives and communities whose livelihoods depend on healthy ecosystems,” the chief executive of Ecobank Group, Mr Jeremy Awori, stated.
On her part, the Head of Sustainability and ESRM at Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, Ms Rachael Antwi, said, “Nature finance will only scale in Africa if it is practical, measurable and connected to the real economy. This bond is designed to do that by linking international capital to eligible lending for sustainable agriculture and water infrastructure across 24 countries. It reflects the systems and standards Ecobank has built to ensure nature finance supports both environmental resilience and the communities whose livelihoods depend on healthy ecosystems.”
Business Post gathered that the $450 million bond was priced following strong investor demand, with the final orderbook exceeding $1.36 billion, almost 400 per cent of the original target size. The strength of demand enabled Ecobank to increase the transaction by $100 million and tighten pricing by 50 basis points.
The transaction attracted support from both international and African investors, demonstrating Ecobank’s unique ability to mobilise capital across global and African markets.
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