By Sam Otuonye
African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has successfully priced a US$1.5 billion dual-tranche Reg S/144A senior unsecured benchmark Eurobond, marking its first US dollar public bond issuance since July 2021 and its largest bond issuance to date.
The bond was issued in two tranches: US$750 million with a 5.5-year tenor, maturing in January 2032, and US$750 million with a 10-year tenor, maturing in July 2036.
According to the press statement, the transaction attracted strong demand from international investors across the UK, Europe, Asia and the United States, with the order book peaking at US$3.8 billion. The issuance was approximately two times oversubscribed, with demand evenly split across both tranches.
Supported by the robust demand, Afreximbank tightened pricing by 37.5 basis points on each tranche, resulting in final yields of 6.25% for the 5.5-year tranche and 7.125% for the 10-year tranche.
This successful return to the US dollar public bond market follows the Bank’s issuances in alternative formats and currencies in recent years, including Samurai bond issuances in 2024 and 2025 and a Panda bond issuance in 2025.
Commenting on the transaction, Afreximbank’s Managing Director, Treasury and Markets, and Group Treasurer, Chandi Mwenebungu, said: “This successful issuance shows the confidence that investors continue to place in Afreximbank and in Africa’s growth story. For us, this is a clear sign that the market continues to believe in Afreximbank’s work and in Africa’s economic prospects. Our role remains to connect capital to the opportunities that will drive trade, industrialisation and growth across the continent.”
HSBC Bank plc acted as the Global Co-ordinator, while Standard Bank of South Africa Limited, Standard Chartered Bank, Commerzbank Aktiengesellschaft and MUFG Securities EMEA plc, acted as Joint Lead Managers and Joint Bookrunners.
This transaction marks another milestone in Afreximbank’s funding journey and underscores the bank’s continued ability to access international capital markets on competitive terms while connecting global capital to Africa’s long-term growth story.
