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Nigeria’s Minister of State for Budget and Economic Planning, Dr Doris Uzoka-Anite, will deliver the keynote address at an international webinar on sovereign credit ratings scheduled for October 8.
The virtual event, organised by DataPro Limited, is themed “Sovereign Credit Rating: Africa’s Roadmap to Investment-Grade Status.”
Uzoka-Anite, an economist and public policy professional, is expected to speak on the economic, fiscal and institutional reforms required to strengthen sovereign credit profiles and boost investor confidence across Africa.
DataPro said her presentation would focus on economic planning, fiscal management, sustainable development, public-sector reforms, investment mobilisation and measures to strengthen economic resilience.
“With experience spanning public policy, economic management, investment, trade and fiscal matters, Dr Uzoka-Anite brings a broad perspective on the structural and policy factors that influence economic performance, fiscal sustainability and investor confidence,” the company said.
The minister, who previously served as Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, is currently involved in budget and economic planning initiatives aimed at improving economic outcomes and addressing implementation challenges across subnational governments.
The webinar will also feature goodwill messages from the Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Dr Emomotimi Agama, and the Statistician-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Prince Adeyemi Adeniran.
The event comes a day after African leaders are expected to discuss the launch of the African Credit Rating Agency (AfCRA) in Mauritius.
The proposed African rating agency is expected to provide an alternative perspective on sovereign creditworthiness, amid concerns by African leaders that international ratings have contributed to higher borrowing costs for countries on the continent.
DataPro said the webinar would examine what African economies, particularly Nigeria, need to do to achieve and sustain investment-grade sovereign credit ratings.
It said discussions would cover fiscal discipline, revenue mobilisation, debt sustainability, macroeconomic stability, economic diversification, policy credibility and institutional effectiveness.
“Participants will gain insights into how sovereign ratings are determined, what drives upgrades and downgrades, and how economic policies and fundamentals influence investor confidence and access to capital,” the company said.
The webinar will also examine common misconceptions about sovereign ratings and their wider role in strengthening confidence in financial markets.
DataPro said the discussions would further consider how a stronger sovereign credit profile could support Nigeria’s ambition to build a $1 trillion economy by 2030.
The company said stronger institutions, sound fiscal management, sustainable debt levels, consistent policies and economic growth would help create the stable investment environment needed to attract capital for infrastructure, productive capacity, private-sector expansion and economic diversification.
Speaking on the event, DataPro’s Founder and Managing Director, Abimbola Adeseyoju, said the annual webinar provides a platform for improving understanding of the role of credit rating agencies, particularly during challenging economic periods.
He said credit ratings remain an important part of the financial system because they provide independent assessments that help investors, lenders and other market participants make informed financing and investment decisions.
Other speakers expected at the event include Torsten Schmidt, Head of Macroeconomics and Public Finance Research at RWI-Essen; Daniel Cash, founder of 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 for Credit Rating Agencies at the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM).
Prince Oladele Adeoye, Chief Rating Officer of DataPro Limited, will moderate the panel discussions.
The webinar will be streamed on LinkedIn and YouTube.
