AFC Backs ₦729bn NBET Bonds To Settle Power Legacy Debts

The Africa  Finance Corporation (AFC) has backed the successful completion of the ₦728.9 billion Series 2 power sector  bond deal by NBET Finance Company Plc to resolve over a decade of legacy debt obligations in Nigeria’s electricity supply industry.Get Corporate Bonds

The issuance is part of the Presidential Power Sector  Financial Reforms Programme (PPSFRP), and it follows the ₦501 billion inaugural Series 1 transaction completed in January 2026, where AFC played the same role as Co-Financial Adviser.

The Series 2 close, which brings the cumulative issuance under the Programme to approximately ₦1.23 trillion, marks a significant milestone in the implementation of the ₦4 trillion Power Sector Multi-Instrument Issuance Programme.

The Presidential Power Sector Debt Reduction Committee (PPSDRC) oversees the Programme, with the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Power provides technical leadership, implementing through the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET)’s special purpose vehicle, NBET Finance Company Plc.Compare Personal Loans

Proceeds from the Series 2 issuance will continue to enable the process of settling verified, overdue receivables owed to Power Generation Companies (GenCos) for electricity supplied between February 2015 and March 2025, further extinguishing legacy claims and injecting liquidity into the electricity industry.

Building on its critical role in Series 1, AFC provided comprehensive financial advisory services to the Federal Government of Nigeria on the Series 2 transaction, including support in negotiating and executing Settlement Agreements with additional GenCos, structuring of the Series 2 cash and non-cash tranches, and investor engagement ahead of the offer. Working in partnership with CardinalStone Partners as co-Financial Advisers, the transaction reflects AFC’s deep local market expertise and its continued commitment to delivering complex, high-impact policy advice and financial solutions that catalyse sector-wide reform.

Banji Fehintola, Executive Board Member and Head, Financial Services at Africa Finance Corporation, said, “Closing the second issuance within eight months of the inaugural series shows the Programme is working as designed- verified legacy obligations are being converted into transparent, investable instruments, and domestic investors are backing that approach.

AFC is proud to continue supporting the Federal Government in delivering reforms that restore liquidity to the power sector and lay the foundation for new investment into Nigeria’s generation capacity.”Compare Credit Cards

The Series 2 transaction comes on the back of the full and timely payment of the first coupon and principal instalment on the Series 1 Bonds in July 2026, demonstrating the Federal Government’s commitment to honouring its obligations under the Programme and reinforcing the credibility of the capital-markets approach to resolving legacy sector debt. The issuance, which was oversubscribed, attracted strong demand from pension fund administrators, banks, sovereign wealth funds and asset managers, further mobilising domestic long-term capital for critical electricity infrastructure in Nigeria.

When completed, the Programme will impact approximately 5,398MW of electricity generation capacity by Nigerian GenCos, effectively finalising settlement of payments for 290,644.84GWhr of electricity billed since February 2015 and providing a strong foundation for new investments into capacity enhancement and expansion by companies serving 12 million active registered customers across the country.

Akin Odeyemi, Managing Director, Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading (NBET) Plc. said, “For too long, verified receivables have sat on GenCos’ balance sheets, limiting their ability to pay gas suppliers, maintain plants and invest in new capacity. With Series 2, we are turning more of those arrears into liquidity across the electricity value chain. We thank our investors, the participating GenCos, our advisers and the regulatory authorities whose support made this issuance possible.”Join Diaspora Networks

Nigeria’s Presidential Power Sector Financial Reforms Programme forms a fundamental aspect of the energy sector reforms by the government, alongside significant ongoing investments in consumer metering and transmission infrastructure, and a transition to bilateral electricity trading between wholesale counterparties based on market-reflective pricing. Together, these reforms are aimed at ensuring the evolution of a viable and sustainable electricity market in Nigeria to support long-term industrial growth and development.