Moody’s Corporation (NYSE: MCO) announced today that it has agreed to acquire a majority (51%) stake in Global Credit Rating Company Limited (GCR). GCR is a leading credit rating agency in Africa with operations spanning the continent, including in South Africa, Nigeria, Senegal, Kenya, and Mauritius.

Fitch Ratings says the sector outlook for African banks in 2022 is neutral, with uncertain business conditions and Covid-19 risk constraining recovery. We anticipate a slightly faster rise in lending with most economies growing at the trend rate and banks gradually loosening stricter/pandemic-era underwriting standards. Our base case also considers risks to global growth, relatively high commodity prices and still favourable external financing conditions.

Visible green shoots – rising commodity prices, The launch of AfCFTA, Shifting patterns and alternative financing, Global interest, Post-pandemic sector potential, Digitization, Mending chains, Competition law and enforcement, Environmental Social and Governance.

After an unprecedented number of downgrades in 2020 in response to the rise in government debt and liquidity challenges resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic, rating momentum for sub-Saharan African (SSA) sovereigns has turned more positive in 2021, with three upgrades (Benin, Cote d’Ivoire and Gabon) and one downgrade (Ethiopia) since the beginning of the year, Fitch Ratings says in a new report.