DataPro holds Webinar Oct 8 on Africa’s Investment-Grade Roadmap
The sixth International Credit Rating Webinar organised by DataPro Limited will hold on October 8, 2026, as policymakers, regulators, economists and financial market experts converge to engender African economies’ desire to attain investment-grade sovereign credit ratings
The webinar, with the theme: “Sovereign Credit Rating: Africa’s Roadmap to Investment-Grade Status,” will examine the reforms and economic policies required to strengthen sovereign credit profiles and position African countries for improved access to international capital.
The webinar is expected to draw participants from the public and private sectors, including development finance institutions, corporate executives, financial market operators, policymakers and researchers.
The virtual event is sequel to the growing efforts by African economies to improve their creditworthiness and attract long-term investment. In Nigeria, the recent upgrade of the country’s sovereign credit rating from B-minus to B by major international rating agencies has heightened expectations that further reforms could pave the way towards investment-grade status.
DataPro noted that moving into investment-grade territory will require sustained economic discipline, consistent policies and stronger institutions rather than short-term improvements in key economic indicators.
The keynote address, “Achieving Investment Grade Rating by 2030: The Roadmap for Nigeria,” is expected to outline practical measures for strengthening fiscal discipline, improving debt management, deepening the capital market and enhancing institutional credibility.
Speakers scheduled for the webinar include Torsten Schmidt, Head of Macroeconomics and Public Finance Research at RWI Essen; Daniel Cash, Founder of the Credit Rating Research Initiative; Oluwakemi Babalogbon, Executive Director, Risk Management, Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI); Kai Gehring, Professor of Political Economy at the University of Bern; and Misheck Mutize, Lead Expert on Credit Rating Agencies at the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM).
The sessions will also examine the characteristics that distinguish investment-grade sovereigns, the reforms required to achieve higher credit ratings and lessons African countries can draw from economies that have successfully improved their sovereign credit standing.
Oladele Adeoye, Chief Rating Officer of DataPro, will moderate the webinar.
According to DataPro, the theme reflects the increasing importance of sovereign credit ratings in determining investor confidence, access to international debt markets and the cost of borrowing, while also influencing the pace of long-term economic development.
The rating agency said discussions would extend beyond credit ratings to cover fiscal management, capital market development and sustainable investment planning, with the broader objective of identifying practical pathways for African economies seeking stronger and more resilient credit profiles.
