AfDB, Asian Development Bank ink $1b deal to boost African lending

Joy Agwunobi

The African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Asian Development Bank have entered a strategic $1 billion Exposure Exchange Agreement (EEA) designed to bolster AfDB’s capital base and strengthen its sustainable lending capabilities across Africa.

This new EEA, signed during the recent IMF/World Bank Annual Meetings in Washington, DC, marks the third exposure exchange transaction as part of AfDB’s Balance Sheet Optimisation strategy.

Under this agreement, AfDB will redistribute sovereign exposures, reducing portfolio concentration risks and providing a safeguard against potential credit downgrades among its member nations. By decreasing sovereign concentration and maintaining a diversified risk profile, the transaction enables AfDB to expand support to borrowing countries across Africa, even amid challenging global economic conditions.

This agreement builds on AfDB’s previous exposure exchange deals, including a 2015 transaction with the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), and a subsequent agreement with the Asian Development Bank in 2023. These transactions have allowed AfDB to diversify risk concentration, enhance lending capacity, and optimise its balance sheet to maintain sound prudential ratios.

Hassatou N’Sele, AfDB’s vice president for Finance and Chief Financial Officer, described the deal as a testament to the commitment of multilateral development banks (MDBs) to collective financial resilience. “This transaction is a continued demonstration of MDB cooperation, as recommended by the G20 International Financial Architecture Working Group, and aligns with the G20’s call for development institutions to optimise and leverage their balance sheets,” N’Sele said. She also expressed appreciation for the ongoing partnerships with MDB peers in fulfilling shared development goals.

Additionally, the agreement affords AfDB enhanced capital flexibility without compromising its risk profile, further supporting the Bank’s Ten-Year Strategy for Africa’s development.

Max Ndiaye, Senior Director of AfDB’s Syndications, Client Solutions, and Africa Investment Forum department, emphasised the significance of this collaboration. “As MDBs, we play a crucial role in stabilising and supporting the financial needs of developing nations. This agreement underscores our commitment to maximising capital resources and working with peers to sustain Africa’s growth,” Ndiaye noted, adding “Through this exchange, we continue to lead in innovation, fortifying our capital position to serve our Regional Member Countries effectively.”

MDBs use exposure exchange agreements as a tool for diversification and capital management, synthetically trading loan portfolios to balance credit exposure between regions where existing exposure is lower or nonexistent.