By Chijioke Ohuocha and Duncan Miriri
LAGOS (Reuters) -Nigeria launched the sale of $2.25 billion of Eurobonds on Wednesday, the bookrunner said, after markets largely shrugged off threats from U.S. President Donald Trump of potential military action in the country.
The West African oil producer will use the money to cover the government’s fiscal deficit, according to bookrunner Chapel Hill Denham.
Trump on Sunday threatened military action in Nigeria if the country did not crack down on the killing of Christians. The following day Nigeria’s long-dated sovereign bonds slipped, with the 2051 issue falling roughly 0.5 cents before retracing some of the losses.
Several African countries have returned to Eurobond markets in recent weeks to capitalize on a drop in interest rates and robust demand from investors, and total emerging market sovereign debt issuance hit a record high this year.
Nigeria’s sale includes a dual tranche for 10 and 20 years at 9.125% and 9.625%, according to Chapel Hill Denham.
Congo Republic issued its first Eurobond in nearly 20 years on Wednesday, and Kenya and Angola issued new bonds last month.
Nigeria’s parliament previously approved plans to borrow $2.85 billion from international debt markets.
(Reporting by Chijioke Ohuocha in Lagos and Duncan Miriri in NairobiEditing by Libby George, Peter Graff)
