Finance

Côte d'Ivoire Raises CFA147bn, but Borrowing Costs Rise

Côte d'Ivoire Raises CFA147bn, but Borrowing Costs Rise
Thursday, 20 March 2025 12:07

The Ivorian government continues to maintain investor confidence. Just days ago, it completed a bond exchange worth $746.7 million on the WAEMU market.

Côte d’Ivoire has raised CFA147.7 billion (about $244 million) from the regional financial market, reaffirming strong investor interest despite rising borrowing costs.

During the March 18 auction, yields on three-year bonds climbed to 7.64%, up from 7.50% earlier in the month. Five-year bonds also saw a slight increase to 7.45%, compared to 7.41% in the last issuance. Meanwhile, seven-year bonds offered a 6.69% yield—lower than the 7.31% recorded in early March—but demand for this maturity remained weak, with only CFA4.9 billion raised.

Most investors were from Côte d’Ivoire, with Burkina Faso contributing CFA13.8 billion and Senegal adding CFA2.4 billion. Other WAEMU countries sat out this round.

Just days before the auction, Côte d’Ivoire completed a CFA450 billion ($746.7 million) bond swap in the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) market. The operation, which exceeded its CFA400 billion target, aimed to ease 2025 debt repayments by replacing existing obligations with new five- and seven-year bonds, carrying interest rates of 5.90% and 6.00%, respectively.

With CFA1.36 trillion already raised this year, Côte d’Ivoire has accounted for more than half of the CFA2.65 trillion borrowed by WAEMU states so far. This underscores the country’s financial dominance in the region but also raises concerns about potential market saturation.

On the same topic
• EY is preparing to leave Francophone Sub-Saharan Africa by 2026• The exit could unlock $500 million to $1 billion in annual market...
Sixty-five percent of banks in sub-Saharan Africa view cyber risks as a major hurdle to digitalization, according to the European Investment Bank. In...
• IFC teams up with AfDB and Nigeria’s EbonyLife to assess a new fund for African cinema• Sector could grow to $20 bln annually and create 20 mln...
• BRICS plans a guarantee fund to reduce political and financial risks in developing countries.• The fund will be managed by the New Development Bank...
Most Read
01

• Global coffee consumption projected to hit a record 169.4 million 60-kg bags in 2025/2026, up from...

Coffee: Global Consumption Expected to Reach Record Level in 2025/2026
02

• Algeria grants commercial 5G licenses to top three telecom operators: Mobilis, Djezzy, and Ooredoo...

Algeria Awards Commercial 5G Licenses
03

• Kenyan President William Ruto signs strategic partnership with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to b...

William Ruto in London: New Agreement Aims to Double Kenya-UK Trade by 2030
04

• Burkina Faso-based financial group, Vista Group Holding, has acquired a majority stake in Société ...

Burkina Faso: Vista Group Acquires Controlling Stake in Société Générale
05

• IFC teams up with AfDB and Nigeria’s EbonyLife to assess a new fund for African cinema• Sector cou...

IFC Plans Investment Fund to Help Grow African Film Industry
Enter your email to receive our newsletter

Ecofin Agency provides daily coverage of nine key African economic sectors: public management, finance, telecoms, agribusiness, mining, energy, transport, communication, and education.
It also designs and manages specialized media, both online and print, for African institutions and publishers.

SALES & ADVERTISING

Benjamin FLAUX
bf@agenceecofin.com 
Téls: +41 22 301 96 11 
Mob: +41 78 699 13 72
Média kit : Download

EDITORIAL
redaction@agenceecofin.com

More information
Team
Publisher

ECOFIN AGENCY

Mediamania Sarl
Rue du Léman, 6
1201 Geneva
Switzerland

 

Ecofin Agency is a sector-focused economic news agency, founded in December 2010. Its web platform was launched in June 2011. ©Mediamania.

 
 

Please publish modules in offcanvas position.