‘Currency reforms strengthening Nigeria’s fiscal resilience’
Standard Chartered has reiterated its commitment to accelerating Africa’s economic resilience and long-term development through trade finance, sustainability finance and infrastructure investments. In the recently released Global Focus H2 2025 Report, Sub-Saharan Africa’s (SSA), it stated that economic resilience is strengthening, driven by improving macroeconomic conditions in both established and frontier markets. This is coming […]
Standard Chartered has reiterated its commitment to accelerating Africa’s economic resilience and long-term development through trade finance, sustainability finance and infrastructure investments.
In the recently released Global Focus H2 2025 Report, Sub-Saharan Africa’s (SSA), it stated that economic resilience is strengthening, driven by improving macroeconomic conditions in both established and frontier markets.
This is coming after a recent Africa Summit held in Lagos with the bank highlighting positive momentum in Nigeria and South Africa, where appreciating local currencies and favourable disinflation trends are laying the foundation for renewed investor interest—provided financial markets remain stable.
“Nigeria’s recent currency reforms and fuel subsidy removals are contributing to medium term fiscal sustainability, while South Africa’s monetary policy credibility and easing inflation are helping rebuild investor trust,” the bank said.
In frontier economies such as Ghana and Zambia, the report highlights encouraging signs of significant disinflation, greater foreign exchange (FX) stability, and sizable monetary easing—developments that could set the stage for improved growth and debt sustainability.
Kariuki Ngari, Managing Director & CEO of Standard Chartered Bank Kenya and Africa said: “Africa’s economic potential is undeniable—and its growing resilience is evident in the structural reforms we’re seeing across the continent.
With bold reforms underway in several countries, this is a critical moment to invest in the continent’s future—and we are ready to play our part. Our focus is to be a long-term partner in building sustainable and inclusive economies across Africa.”
Dalu Ajene, CEO, Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited added, “We expect an acceleration of fiscal reform to take hold in the Nigerian economy in H2 2025.
“Our role as a bank is to provide the financing solutions that will leverage this momentum — by supporting our clients in key economic sectors to double down on investment historically held back by complex economic factors.”
To support Africa’s resilience, Standard Chartered is expanding its sustainable, trade and infrastructure finance.
The Bank financed $US 4billion worth of infrastructure projects in Africa last year, including arranging a $US455 million blended finance facility [backed by the African Development Bank] for Côte d’Ivoire; a $US1.47 billion solar-powered electricity distribution in Angola and $US1.46bn term loan for Tanzania’s Standard Gauge Railway.
Further, Standard Chartered has signed $US70 million and $US100 million trade finance deals with International Finance Corporation [IFC] and British International Investment [BII], respectively, to empower local enterprises across Africa to trade, bolstering the continent’s financial resilience.