News

Côte d’Ivoire Raises CFA454.2bn in Record Regional Bond Auction

Côte d’Ivoire Raises CFA454.2bn in Record Regional Bond Auction
Thursday, 24 April 2025 06:01

• The government raised CFA454.2 billion ($790 million) on April 22 through the WAEMU regional debt market
• The auction covered seven bond maturities, from 1 to 7 years, and was oversubscribed by 105.63%
• Yields rose slightly, but remained lower than rates seen in other WAEMU countries like Mali

Côte d’Ivoire raised CFA454.2 billion on April 22 in a public bond auction on the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) regional market, setting a new record for the country’s largest single debt issuance through this channel. The auction, which targeted CFA430 billion initially, was oversubscribed by more than 5% and fully taken up by the Ivorian Treasury, according to the official results published by UMOA-Titres.

This operation ranks as the largest the Ivorian government has ever carried out through a WAEMU public auction, though it falls just short of the CFA457 billion raised by Niger in April 2024 when it returned to the regional market.

The debt offering included a 364-day Treasury bill, three two-year bonds, and longer-dated bonds with maturities of three, five, and seven years. The amounts raised on each line ranged from CFA4 billion to over CFA132 billion.

Interest rates on these instruments showed a modest increase compared to earlier in the month. The one-year Treasury bill was placed at an average yield of 7.19%, up from 6.60% on April 8. Two-year bonds yielded between 7.36% and 7.38%, higher than the 6.79% recorded for a similar issuance earlier this month. The three-year bond came in at 7.49% versus 6.84% previously. The five-year line saw a slight uptick to 7.64% from 7.62%. Only the seven-year bond posted a lower yield, at 6% compared to 6.79% two weeks ago.

Even with the uptick, the yields remain well below those seen in recent WAEMU bond auctions by other member countries. On April 16, Mali had to offer 9.12% for a three-year bond. Burkina Faso issued a seven-year bond at 7.70% on April 9. These differences highlight how the market views Côte d’Ivoire’s risk profile as more stable, despite the country’s increasingly frequent borrowing.

Between January and early April, Côte d’Ivoire raised nearly 51% of all funds mobilized by WAEMU’s eight member states. During this period, the country also finalized a $1.75 billion Eurobond, issued its first international bonds denominated in CFA francs, and restructured CFA450 billion worth of existing debt to ease pressure on public finances.

Most of the buyers in this latest operation were Ivorian investors. Burkina Faso and Benin made minor bids on the five-year bond line.

 
 
On the same topic
Africa as a whole is advancing in innovation, thanks in large part to bolstered institutional capacity, the strengthening of business ecosystems, and a...
South Africa anchors African bonds with liquidity, but yields lag Ghana and Zambia. Ghana and Zambia deliver 20%+ yields, driving bond rallies despite...
• UN urges shift from arms to human development in Africa • Military spending rises, deepening poverty and fiscal strain • Region needs $70B...
Malawi votes in high-stakes presidential election Tuesday Economic crisis, inflation dominate voter concerns Chakwera faces Mutharika, Banda in tight...
Most Read
01

From Dakar to Nairobi, Kampala to Abidjan, mobile money has become a lifeline for millions of Africa...

Africa's Boundless Future: How a simple mobile phone became a pocket bank for millions
02

• WAEMU posts 0.9% deflation in July, second month in a row• Food, hospitality prices drop; alcohol,...

WAEMU Region Records Second Straight Month of Deflation, at -0.9% in July 
03

Airtel Gabon, Moov sign deal to share telecom infrastructure Agreement aims to cut costs, boo...

Gabon’s Airtel, Moov to Share Towers Under Govt-Brokered Deal
04

Vision Invest invests $700m in Arise IIP, Africa’s largest private infrastructure deal in 202...

Saudi Arabia’s 2025 Shopping List Now Includes Industrial Parks in Africa — With a $700 Million Entry Ticket
05

Even though it remains the smallest "crypto-economy" in the world, sub-Saharan Africa shows that vir...

Sub-Saharan Africa Crypto Transactions Up 52% to $205B on Inflation, Inclusion Push
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

regie@agenceecofin.com 
Tél: +41 22 301 96 11 
Mob: +41 78 699 13 72


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.