Ghana to allocate $477 million for Eurobond debt service in 2024
Some $477 million is expected to be allocated for Eurobond debt service by the Government of Ghana this year, according to IC Africa Research. This amount is part of a projected $600 million to $800 million total for external debt servicing in 2024.
IC Africa Research indicates that the cash flow on restructured Eurobonds anticipates the resumption of debt service from July 2024. It also highlighted that multilateral debt service, which was not included in the debt restructuring, contributes to the total estimated requirement of $600 million to $800 million for 2024.
These figures, however, do not account for the $1.6 billion in legacy arrears owed to Independent Power Producers, of which only $400 million has been paid.
The cash flow forecast predicts an increase in debt service obligations between 2026 and 2030, with Eurobond payments peaking at $1.4 billion and then decreasing to $1.1 billion. As of April 2024, Ghana’s forex reserves stood at $4.3 billion, equating to 2.0 months of import cover.
IC Africa Research believes that these reserves are being accumulated in preparation for resuming external debt service rather than supporting the foreign exchange market. This leads to a cautious outlook for the Ghanaian cedi due to limited foreign exchange inflows.
Regarding the secondary market, IC Africa Research sees limited potential for significant price increases in Ghanaian Eurobonds, given the deeper haircuts and reduced coupon rates imposed by the restructuring.
Although there was an initial price gain of 3.8% by mid-June 2024, the new terms are expected to limit future price increases to a range of 5% to 7%.
