Credit ratings play a critical role in shaping access to affordable capital across African economies. While they directly influence government borrowing costs, sovereign credit ratings also affect financing conditions for state-owned enterprises (SOEs), commercial banks, infrastructure projects, and private companies. As a result, they have significant implications for investment, economic transformation, and sustainable development.

This webinar will explore how sovereign credit ratings influence corporate and SOE financing, infrastructure investment, and broader development finance outcomes across Africa. The discussion will examine how sovereign ratings and sovereign ceilings affect access to capital, investor confidence, foreign direct investment, and the ability of African institutions to raise finance independently.

Participants will gain a deeper understanding of how sovereign credit ratings shape development finance, capital market access, and financing conditions across African economies. The webinar will explore the implications of sovereign ceilings for corporate, bank, and state-owned enterprise financing, examine their impact on infrastructure investment and project finance, and discuss practical approaches to improving access to affordable capital.

Speakers and Panelists

• Daouda Sembene (PhD), President and Chief Executive Officer, AfriCatalyst
• McBride P. Nkhalamba, Director Governance and Specialised Reporting Ag African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM)
• Misheck Mutize (PhD), Lead Expert on Support to African Countries on Credit Rating Agencies, African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM)
• Tatonga Gardner Rusike (PhD), Chief Economist for Africa, Bank of America
• Paul Gamble, Senior Director, Fitch Ratings
• Daniel Cash, Fellow (Non-Resident) at United Nations University Centre for Policy Research (UNU-CPR)
• Maggie Mutesi, Managing Director, Mansa Media (Moderator)

This webinar, organized in partnership with the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), will bring together policymakers, development finance experts, investors, and industry leaders to discuss the link between sovereign credit ratings and Africa’s development financing agenda.