Fitch Ratings has assigned Nigeria’s $1 billion 15-year 7.875% senior unsecured notes a final rating of ‘B+’. The final rating replaces the expected rating that Fitch assigned on 6 February 2017.
According to a statement, the rating was in line with Nigeria’s Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) of ‘B+’, which has a Negative Outlook.
“The rating is sensitive to changes in Nigeria’s Long-Term Foreign-Currency IDR. On 25 January 2017, Fitch affirmed Nigeria’s Long-Term Foreign-Currency IDR at ‘B+’ and revised the Outlook to Negative from Stable,” it added.
The federal government last week announced that its US$1 billion Eurobond was 780 per cent oversubscribed, demonstrating a strong market appetite for Nigeria. The government also revealed that the newly established US$1 billion Global Medium Term Note programme will bear interest at a rate of 7.875 per cent and will mature on 16th February 2032, with a bullet repayment of the principal. Nigeria intends to use the proceeds of the notes to fund capital expenditure in the 2016 budget.
