Global Experts to Chart Africa’s Route to Investment-Grade Sovereign Ratings

Leading international academics, policy specialists, and financial experts are set to examine strategies for improving Africa’s sovereign credit standing at DataPro Limited’s sixth International Rating Webinar scheduled for October 8, 2026.

The virtual event, themed “Sovereign Credit Rating: Africa’s Roadmap to Investment Grade Status,” will bring together experts with extensive experience in sovereign risk, macroeconomics, development finance and global financial reforms.

Among the speakers is Dr. Misheck Mutize, Lead Expert on Credit Rating Agencies at the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) and a key figure in efforts to establish the Africa Credit Rating Agency (AfCRA). His work focuses on debt sustainability, sovereign risk, and reforms in the global financial system.

Also speaking is Dr Daniel Cash, Founder of the Credit Rating Research Initiative, Associate Professor at Aston University and Senior Fellow at the United Nations University’s Centre for Policy Research. A former Fulbright Scholar and author of nine books on credit ratings, Cash is recognised for his academic work on the global credit rating industry.

Prof. Dr Torsten Schmidt, Head of Macroeconomics and Public Finance Research at RWI-Essen, will bring his expertise in empirical macroeconomics, economic growth, business cycles and public finance. Since 2020, he has headed the institute’s research division covering these areas.

The panel will also feature Prof. Kai Gehring, Professor of Political Economy at the University of Bern, whose research examines the political economy of international institutions, including the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, as well as the effectiveness and allocation of development finance.

The webinar will hold from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. West Africa Time, with a keynote address titled “Achieving Investment-Grade Rating by 2030: The Roadmap for Nigeria.”

According to the organisers, the event comes amid changing global financial conditions and growing concerns over Africa’s sovereign risk profile and domestic financial market structures.

Participants are expected to explore debt sustainability, structural reforms, economic policies and other measures capable of improving the continent’s access to international capital markets and moving African economies towards investment-grade ratings.

Registration for the webinar is ongoing, although available slots are limited.