The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, has committed $50 million in long-term subordinated debt to Infrastructure Credit Guarantee Company Plc (InfraCredit) to expand infrastructure financing in Nigeria.

The 10-year unsecured facility was formalised in Lagos and will be provided in two equal tranches of $25 million.

The facility will strengthen InfraCredit’s capital base as it expands its pipeline of infrastructure transactions and mobilises more long-term naira funding for projects across critical sectors of the Nigerian economy.

These include renewable energy, climate-smart agriculture, telecommunications, digital infrastructure, healthcare and transportation, as well as other investments aligned with sustainable economic growth.

The IFC investment is backed by the International Development Association Private Sector Window Blended Finance Facility and the Concessional Capital Window.

InfraCredit provides credit guarantees for infrastructure-related debt transactions. It said the additional capital would enhance its ability to attract domestic institutional investment into projects requiring long-term financing, while reflecting growing support from international development finance institutions for its role in deepening Nigeria’s domestic debt capital market.

The transaction adds to support InfraCredit has received from a wider network of development finance institutions and other development partners. Their contributions have included equity investments, subordinated debt, portfolio risk-sharing mechanisms, counter-guarantees, first-loss capital, specialised financing facilities and technical assistance.

According to InfraCredit, these instruments have strengthened its financial leverage and helped it develop new financing structures and co-financing platforms for infrastructure projects.

Since beginning operations in 2017, InfraCredit said it has facilitated more than N600 billion in long-term local-currency financing for 28 infrastructure projects.

The company has also supported 14 first-time issuers in accessing Nigeria’s domestic debt capital market.

Its activities have included transactions that helped establish new benchmarks in the local bond market, including Nigeria’s first 15-year green infrastructure bond. InfraCredit-guaranteed transactions have also extended corporate bond maturities to as much as 20 years, giving infrastructure developers access to longer-term funding.

The company said its guaranteed infrastructure bonds have attracted significant participation from domestic institutional investors, including 20 of Nigeria’s 25 Pension Fund Administrators.

IFC’s Financial Institutions Group Director for Africa, Aliou Maiga, said the investment would help strengthen Nigeria’s infrastructure financing ecosystem by supporting the mobilisation of domestic resources.

“By supporting InfraCredit’s institutional capacity, we are helping mobilise domestic resources for infrastructure investments that can drive economic growth, job creation and sustainable development across key sectors of the Nigerian economy,” Maiga said.

He added that IFC was pleased to deepen its partnership with InfraCredit as the company continues to contribute to the development of Nigeria’s local capital markets.

Chief Executive Officer of InfraCredit, Chinua Azubike, said strengthening the institution’s capacity had become increasingly important as its transaction pipeline expanded and its financing products evolved.

He said the IFC facility would improve InfraCredit’s ability to mobilise long-term domestic capital for infrastructure projects.

Azubike also described the investment as evidence of continued confidence from international development finance institutions in InfraCredit’s business model.

He noted that the company’s support network includes development finance institutions and other partners participating through different layers of its capital and risk-sharing structures.

“This breadth of support is a significant competitive advantage and reflects the maturity and resilience of our institution,” he said.

Source: Punch