Yemisi Izuora
Abimbola Adeseyoju, Founder of DataPro Limited, has called for stronger fiscal discipline, deeper capital markets and transparent credit rating methodologies to help African countries achieve investment-grade status and attract long-term investments.
Adeseyoju made the call at the sixth DataPro International Credit Rating Webinar held on Thursday, October 8, 2026, with the theme, “Credit Rating as a Catalyst for Economic Transformation.”
He said sovereign credit ratings had become critical instruments for economic transformation, influencing investment flows, borrowing costs and the capacity of governments to finance infrastructure, industrialisation and sustainable development.
According to him, African countries must urgently strengthen their economic structures and policy frameworks to attract patient capital and build economies capable of withstanding external shocks.
“Credit rating is no longer a passive measure of risk; it is now a catalyst for economic transformation,” he said.
Adeseyoju identified three key priorities for African countries seeking to attain and sustain investment-grade ratings: structural reforms and fiscal sustainability, deeper and more transparent capital markets, and credit rating methodologies that adequately reflect Africa’s economic realities and growth potential.
He stressed the need for governments to embrace fiscal discipline, strengthen institutions and improve the availability of economic data to enhance investor confidence.
He also called for stronger domestic capital markets and greater risk transparency, noting that improved market infrastructure would help bridge the gap between investors and businesses seeking funding.
On credit rating methodologies, the DataPro founder advocated approaches that balance risk assessment with the growth opportunities inherent in emerging African economies.
He said Africa’s path to investment-grade status was achievable through deliberate policy implementation, sound financial market infrastructure and stronger cross-border collaboration.
Reaffirming DataPro’s commitment to the development of the financial market, Adeseyoju said the company would continue to provide transparent, credible and actionable market intelligence to support investment decisions.
The webinar featured Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, Minister of State for Budget and Economic Planning, as keynote speaker, alongside Dr. Emomotimi Agama, Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission, and Prince Adeyemi Adeniran, Statistician-General of the Federation and Chief Executive Officer of the National Bureau of Statistics.
The event brought together capital market operators, development finance institutions, corporate leaders, finance professionals, diplomats and other stakeholders to examine how credit ratings could support economic transformation across Africa.