veri blog

Nigeria’s $5 billion total return swap is the continent’s clearest signal yet that African sovereign financing is evolving faster than the infrastructure designed to track it. On 24 March 2026, President Bola Tinubu submitted a request to Nigeria’s National Assembly for approval of a $5 billion external borrowing programme structured as a total return swap with First Abu Dhabi Bank, the largest lender in the United Arab Emirates. By 31 March — seven days later — both chambers

A broadening NGX changes the African allocation from a bet on a single anchor name to a proper portfolio — and that is exactly the kind of shift Veri’s reference architecture is built to make legible. I wrote earlier in this series that Dangote’s listing was a market story rather than a company story. That framing was deliberate. It put the reader’s attention on the exchange that had just absorbed a continental-scale megadeal, rather than on the issuer that had just brought i

A USD 5 billion listing in Lagos is the first real test of whether African public markets can absorb African champions at scale — and it is exactly the kind of moment Veri was built for. A company of this scale does not list in Lagos by accident. A deal of this scale does not price in Lagos by sentiment. It prices there because the market is now credible enough, deep enough and institutionally prepared enough to carry it — and because the alternative, routing to London or New

Veri Expands into Nigeria with the Appointment of Victor Bisong as Country Partner & Director Veri is proud to announce a significant milestone in its continued growth across Africa with the appointment of Victor Bisong as Country Partner & Director for Nigeria . This strategic expansion marks an important step in Veri’s vision to build a connected, accessible, and innovative investment ecosystem across the African continent. Strengthening Our Presence in a Key Market Nigeria

Nigeria’s financial markets are adjusting to the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) latest move to reform its foreign exchange regime—an effort aimed at rebuilding credibility, easing currency volatility, and unlocking investor inflows after two turbulent years. The core of the change is a redesigned FX allocation mechanism that introduces greater transparency and price discovery through market-driven auctions, replacing a patchwork of official and unofficial rates. What’s New?

ACCRA, Ghana – January 16, 2026: West African economies are rapidly advancing their digital financial infrastructure as a cornerstone for broader economic inclusion and modernization. Across the region, especially in Ghana and Nigeria, authorities are enacting forward-looking policies and partnerships to digitize banking services, strengthen payment systems, and extend financial access to underserved populations. These moves – backed by new regulations, collaborations with t

ACCRA, Ghana (January 16, 2026) – African central banks are increasingly shifting from monetary tightening to easing as inflation rates fall to multi-year lows across the continent. After aggressive interest rate hikes in 2022–2023 to tame price surges, policymakers in countries from Ghana to Kenya have begun cutting benchmark rates in response to sharply lower inflation. The trend signals a new phase of monetary policy aimed at supporting growth now that earlier inflationar

Most investors start at home. It’s familiar: you understand the banks on your high street, the telco you use every day, the government securities your adviser talks about. In many African markets, those local instruments also offer attractive nominal yields. But the last decade has shown how fragile that comfort can be: Currency shocks can wipe out years of returns when measured in hard currency. Inflation spikes can quietly erode the real value of cash, deposits and even s

In October 2025, the International Monetary Fund upgraded its growth forecast for sub-Saharan Africa to 4.1 percent , reflecting modest optimism amid persistent headwinds. That figure underscores a region balancing between promising reform momentum and foundational structural risks. Key pressures loom large: rising debt service costs, tightening external financing, inflation pressures, and weak fiscal buffers. During the IMF’s African Department press briefing, Director Abebe

Nigeria has long been Africa’s biggest economy — and with that size comes big financing needs. But in 2025, a new reality is settling in:...

In the midst of persistent inflationary pressures, currency volatility, and global uncertainty, Nigeria’s Central Bank Governor Olayemi...

Two days ago, a Lagos Federal High Court issued an injunction stopping the planned sale of 54gene’s assets , effectively saving the...

Nigeria has secured a $747 million syndicated loan to begin its 700km Lagos–Calabar coastal highway. The deal signals a shift toward targeted, project-based infrastructure financing.