Economy
Moody’s Drops South Africa’s Rating to Baa3
By Dipo Olowookere
South Africa’s long-term issuer and senior unsecured ratings have been downgraded to Baa3 from Baa2 by Moody’s.
The rating firm also assigned a negative outlook to the country as well as dropping its senior unsecured Shelf and MTN program ratings to (P) Baa3 from (P) Baa2.
“The government’s senior unsecured short-term program rating was also downgraded to (P)P-3 from (P)P-2. The rating actions conclude the review for downgrade that commenced on 3 April 2017,” Moody’s said in a statement issued on Friday.
According to the rating agency, the factors which brought about the downgrades were weakening of South Africa’s institutional framework, reduced growth prospects reflecting policy uncertainty and slower progress with structural reforms; and the continued erosion of fiscal strength due to rising public debt and contingent liabilities
Moody’s said the Baa3 rating recognizes a number of important strengths that continue to support South Africa’s creditworthiness.
However, the negative outlook reflects the continued downside risks for growth and fiscal consolidation associated with the political outlook.
Over the medium-term, economic and fiscal strength will remain sensitive to investor confidence and hence uncertainty surrounding political developments, including prospects for structural reforms intended to raise potential growth and flexibility in fiscal expenditures, it said.
In a related decision, Moody’s also downgraded to Baa3 from Baa2 the backed senior unsecured debt issued by ZAR Sovereign Capital Fund Propriety Limited, a special purpose vehicle whose debt issuance is ultimately the obligation of the South African government, and assigned a negative outlook.
South Africa’s long-term local-currency bond and deposit ceilings were lowered to A2 from A1, and the long-term and short-term foreign-currency bond ceilings lowered to A3/P-2 from A2/P-1, respectively. The long-term foreign-currency bank deposits ceilings was lowered to Baa3 from Baa2, while the short-term foreign-currency bank deposits ceiling was lowered to P-3 from P-2.
The downgrade, Moody’s said, reflects its view that recent political developments suggest a weakening of the country’s institutional strength which casts doubt over the strength and sustainability of the recovery in growth and the stabilisation of the debt-to-GDP ratio over the near-term.
The first driver for the downgrade is Moody’s view that South Africa’s institutional strength, the second factor in our rating methodology, has eroded.
The independence and strength of key institutions such as the judiciary, the Reserve Bank and the National Treasury are a key support in Moody’s assessment of South Africa’s credit profile, through ensuring the continuity of a predictable, credit-supportive policy environment, the agency explained.
Moody’s said it has taken comfort from the manifest commitment of the country’s policy institutions to achieving a broad program of structural reforms through cooperation between government, labour, and business, while at the same time maintaining rigorous adherence to fiscal spending ceilings and embarking on reforms of state-owned enterprises.
However, recent events, particularly but not exclusively the abrupt March Cabinet reshuffle, illustrate a gradual erosion of institutional strength. The institutional framework has become less transparent, effective and predictable, and policymakers’ commitment to previously-articulated reform objectives is less certain.
As a consequence, Moody’s views the underlying political dynamics which led to the March cabinet reshuffle as posing a threat to near- and medium-term real GDP growth.
Uncertainty over near- and medium-term policy priorities has damaged investor confidence, reducing investment in South Africa’s economy which fell by 3.9% in 2016 and is projected to remain subdued in 2017. Investment levels are likely to remain weak until a more stable policy environment emerges.
Medium-term growth will additionally be constrained by mixed progress with structural reforms, including delays in the implementation of reforms in the mining sector, in the governance of state-owned enterprises, and in the elimination of barriers to competition in key network sectors. With the economy already recording two consecutive quarters of contraction prior to the cabinet reshuffle, Moody’s forecasts growth below 1% in 2017 and 1.5% in 2018, with stagnating investment reducing medium-term (and potential) growth as well.
Lower levels of growth and heightened uncertainty about policy direction and policymakers’ commitment to structural reforms have increased the risk of a weakening of the government balance sheet.
In Moody’s view, lower than expected growth will further delay the stabilization of South Africa’s debt-to-GDP ratio. Instead of stabilizing in 2018/19 Moody’s now expects the debt burden will reach about 55% of GDP that year and continue to rise gradually afterwards. While the National Treasury has reiterated its commitment to expenditure ceilings, pressures to raise public wages will again rise in the next fiscal year as the end of the current three-year agreement will open room for new negotiations. Underperformance on revenue collection is another risk, the statement said.
Furthermore, contingent liabilities linked to state-owned enterprises continue to pose a tail risk to the country’s fiscal strength.
Operational inefficiencies, weak corporate governance, and poor procurement practices persist in SOEs, with government guarantees extended to SOEs rising. This has also increased the likelihood of contingent liabilities crystalizing on the government’s balance sheet. Pressures to further extend guarantees and utilize procurement practices to advance political objectives are sources of additional potential risk.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The National Insurance Commission has issued new guidelines for the collection, management, and administration of the Insurance Policyholders’ Protection Fund.
In a circular issued to all insurance institutions on Tuesday, the regulator also set May 31, 2026, as the deadline for insurers to submit their assessment returns for the 2025 financial year.
Recall that on August 5, 2025, President Bola Tinubu signed into law the Nigerian Insurance Industry Reform Act ( NIIRA 2025).
This landmark legislation repeals the Insurance Act 2003, and consolidates related provisions, ushering in a modern regulatory framework. It lays a strong foundation for sustainable growth and increased investment in the country’s insurance sector.
The commission said the guidelines were issued in exercise of its powers under the 2025 Act and other existing insurance laws and regulations to provide regulatory clarity, improve guidance, and ensure ease of compliance across the industry.
According to NAICOM, the guidelines establish a comprehensive structure for the operation of the IPPF, which serves as a statutory safety net to protect insurance policyholders in the event of distress or insolvency of a licensed insurer or reinsurer. The framework also provides direction on the reimbursement of loans by insurers and reinsurers.
NAICOM stated, “The guidelines ensure regulatory clarity, guidance and ease of compliance, as it provides a comprehensive regulatory framework for the collection, management, and administration of the Fund, which serves as a statutory safety net designed to protect insurance policyholders against distress and insolvency of a licensed insurer or reinsurer, including guidance for the reimbursement of loans by an insurer or reinsurer.
“Please be informed that the IPPF Assessment Returns in respect of the year 2025 shall be submitted to the Commission not later than 31st May 2026, while subsequent submissions shall be in line with Section 4.3 of the Guideline on Insurance Policyholders Protection Fund.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Dangote Refinery on Wednesday returned the petrol price to N1,200 per litre, less than 24 hours after it increased it by 5 per cent.
The private refinery had raised the ex-depot price by N75 on Tuesday, citing pressure from volatile global oil markets, but quickly brought it back to N1,200 per litre from N1,275 per litre.
The swift downward review is directly linked to a sharp drop in international crude prices. Brent crude has plunged to $95.05 per barrel, after a 13 per cent decline, while the US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude closed at $97.18, recording nearly a 14 per cent drop.
This development comes after US President Donald Trump announced a conditional two-week ceasefire with Iran, which eased fears of immediate supply disruptions in the global oil market.
“This will be a double-sided CEASEFIRE!” Trump said on social media, marking a sharp reversal from his earlier warning that “a whole civilisation will die tonight” if Iran failed to comply with US demands.
Iran’s Foreign Minister, Mr Abbas Araqchi, confirmed that the country would halt attacks provided strikes against Iran cease and transit through the Strait of Hormuz is coordinated by Iranian forces.
Despite the breakthrough, tensions remain elevated across the region, with several Gulf states reporting missile launches, drone activity, or issuing civil defence warnings.
While oil prices have fallen back below $100, they remain significantly elevated after surging by a record amount in March. Market analysts noted that regardless of how successful the ceasefire is, geopolitical risk related to the Strait of Hormuz is likely to remain elevated for the foreseeable future under the control of Iran.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Crude oil deliveries from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery doubled in March, boosting prospects for improved fuel availability.
This was revealed by the chief executive of Dangote Industries Limited, Mr Aliko Dangote, on Tuesday, when he received the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mrs Amina Mohammed, at the industrial complex in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos.
While speaking on feedstock supply, Mr Dangote commended the NNPC for increasing crude deliveries to the refinery in March, noting that volumes rose to 10 cargoes—six supplied in Naira and four in Dollars—to support domestic fuel availability, according to a statement by the Refinery.
“Last month, they gave us six cargoes for Naira and four cargoes for Dollars,” he said.
Despite the improvement, Mr Dangote noted that the supply remains below the 19 cargoes required for optimal operations, with the refinery continuing to bridge the gap through imports from the United States and other African producers.
He also expressed concern over the unwillingness of international oil companies operating in Nigeria to sell to the refinery, stating that their preference for selling crude to traders forces it to repurchase at higher costs, with broader implications for the economy.
Mr Dangote added that the refinery is seeking increased access to domestically priced crude under local currency arrangements as part of efforts to moderate fuel costs and enhance long-term energy and food security across the continent.
On her part, Mrs Mohammed underscored the strategic importance of Dangote Industries Limited -particularly Dangote Fertiliser Limited—in addressing Africa’s mounting food security challenges, while calling for stronger global partnerships to scale its impact.
Mrs Mohammed said the United Nations would prioritise amplifying scalable solutions capable of mitigating the continent’s food crisis, describing Dangote’s integrated industrial model as a critical pathway.
“I think the UN’s job here is to amplify and to put visibility on the possibilities of mitigating a food security crisis, and this is one of them,” she said. “I hope that when we go back, we can continue to engage partners and countries that should collaborate with Dangote Industries.”
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