LAGOS, NIGERIA - EQS - 2 December 2025 - Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) (
www.AfricaFC.org),
the continent's leading infrastructure solutions provider, has closed a
landmark US$524 million equivalent dual-currency Samurai term loan
facility.
The transaction marks AFC's largest Samurai loan to date and reinforces
the Corporation's growing footprint in Japan's capital markets amid
rising investor confidence in its credit fundamentals. The three-year
syndicated facility, comprising US$505 million and JPY 3 billion, was
significantly oversubscribed following strong demand from Japanese
lenders.
AFC's strong traction in Japan has been supported by a series of
milestones, including its 2019 debut samurai loan, its 2023 guarantee of
the Arab Republic of Egypt's JPY75 billion Samurai Bond, and the award
of an A+ (Stable) long-term issuer credit rating by the Japan Credit
Rating Agency (JCR) earlier this year. AFC's 2022 Samurai facility of
US$419 million equivalent (US$412 million and JPY 1 billion) matured in
October 2025 and was fully repaid by AFC.
AFC maintains a strong presence in Asian capital markets, where it has
raised over US$1.3 billion in the past decade across Chinese, Indian and
Korean loan facilities.
"Japan continues to be an important and strategic market for AFC," said
Banji Fehintola, Executive Board Member and Head of Financial Services
at AFC. "The strong support from Japanese lenders in our latest Samurai
loan underscores the depth of confidence in AFC and the trust we have
built with investors over the past few years. This successful
transaction strengthens our funding base and expands our global investor
reach as we continue mobilising capital to address the infrastructure
deficit in Africa."
The new facility was arranged by long-standing relationship banks,
Mizuho Bank, MUFG Bank and SMBC Bank International, which acted as
Mandated Lead Arrangers and Bookrunners. The transaction drew strong
momentum from AFC's lender roadshow held during the Tokyo International
Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) in August.
In a further demonstration of deepening engagement with Japanese and
Asian investors, the facility welcomed several first-time lenders to
AFC, including Bank of Taiwan, China Construction Bank Corporation,
First Commercial Bank, Taiwan Business Bank, The Chiba Bank, The
Shizuoka Bank, and The Yamanashi Chuo Bank.
Proceeds from the facility will be used for general corporate purposes,
supporting AFC's mandate to drive sustainable development through
infrastructure investment across Africa.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Finance Corporation (AFC).
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(AFC closes a landmark US$524 million-equivalent dual-currency Samurai
term loan — its largest to date — underscoring rising Japanese investor
confidence in Africa's growth story)