Policymakers, regulators, and financial experts from Africa and Europe will gather virtually on October 8, 2026 for DataPro Limited’s sixth International Credit Rating Webinar, themed “Sovereign Credit Rating: Africa’s Roadmap to Investment Grade Status.”
The Minister of State for Budget and Economic Planning, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, will deliver the keynote address, titled “Achieving Investment Grade Rating By 2030: The Roadmap for Nigeria,” laying out practical steps for strengthening fiscal discipline, improving debt management, and building institutional credibility.
The virtual event is expected to draw participants from development finance institutions, corporate executives, financial market operators, and researchers across the public and private sectors.
The webinar follows Nigeria’s recent sovereign credit rating upgrade from B minus to B by major international agencies, a move, analysts have widely interpreted as a positive signal to global investors and evidence of growing confidence in the country’s economic reforms.
DataPro has cautioned, however, that reaching full investment grade status will require sustained discipline rather than short-term gains, stressing that African nations must maintain consistent policies to preserve investor confidence.
Panelists scheduled to speak include Torsten Schmidt of RWI Essen, Daniel Cash of the Credit Rating Research Initiative, Oluwakemi Babalogbon of the Ministry of Finance Incorporated, Kai Gehring of the University of Bern, and Misheck Mutize of the African Peer Review Mechanism.
Sessions will examine what distinguishes investment grade sovereigns, the reforms needed to achieve higher ratings, and lessons from countries that have successfully improved their credit standing.
Oladele Adeoye, Chief Rating Officer of DataPro, will moderate the event.
DataPro said the discussions will extend beyond ratings to cover fiscal management, capital market development, and long-term investment planning across African economies.
The agency, which is licensed and regulated as a Credit Rating Agency in Nigeria by the Securities and Exchange Commission, has run the annual webinar series for several years to deepen public understanding of credit rating institutions and foster cooperation among rating agencies across the continent.
