BADEA, Sterling Bank Sign $65m Loan Deal

• BADEA, Sterling Bank Sign $65m Loan Deal

The Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa has extended $65m (about N23.4bn) credit facilities to Sterling Bank Plc of Nigeria.

In a statement, the facilities were said to have been granted through two loan agreements signed on Monday in Cairo, Egypt.

The Director-General, BADEA, Dr Sidi Ould TAH, signed on behalf of BADEA while the Executive Director, Corporate & Investment Banking, Mr Yemi Odubiyi, signed on behalf of the Sterling Bank.

Commenting on the facilities extended to Sterling Bank, Odubiyi said that the first facility, which amounted to $15m, was a line of credit for the financing of private sector projects while the second facility, which amounted to $50m, was a line of credit for financing Arab exports to African importers, as part of BADEA’s programme for financing foreign trade.

He thanked the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa for having confidence in the bank.

According to Odubiyi, the first line of credit will help the bank to finance private sector projects in Nigeria by re-lending its resources to customers.

He further explained that within the same context, the two parties also signed a loan agreement to finance a line of credit that would be allocated to trade finance operations.

The statement said, “This second line of credit is aimed at bringing Arab goods and products to Nigeria by re-lending its resources to beneficiaries in the country. This will also help to encourage and promote trade exchanges between Arab and African countries in addition to defining African markets for Arab products, thereby helping the growth of Arab exports destined for sub-Saharan Africa.”

On his part, TAH described the loan signing agreement as the beginning of cooperation between BADEA and Sterling Bank.

He said the cooperation would enhance the role of the private sector in Nigeria’s economic and social development by contributing to the mobilisation of production and service sectors.

“This will also aid the creation of job opportunities in support of Nigeria’s budget through tax revenues, which will accelerate economic growth and improve the living standards of the populace,” he added.