JOHANNESBURG, June 23 (Reuters) – Ghana is set to complete one of the last remaining pieces of its sweeping debt restructuring, with investors in a small set of bonds tied to the country’s health sector set to have their securities forcibly swapped for new government-linked debt.
The bonds, issued in 2014 through a vehicle called Saderea Designated Activity Company, originally helped finance Ghana’s health sector. About $117.8 million worth remain outstanding.
Under a deal announced on Tuesday, holders will receive new Ghanaian government notes maturing in 2035 and 2037 in exchange.
A group of creditors representing more than two-thirds of the outstanding bonds has already accepted the terms, meeting the legal threshold to enforce the deal on all bondholders.
The swap brings Ghana closer to completing a restructuring that has already covered approximately 97% of the debt it sought to overhaul after its December 2022 default, S&P Global Ratings said.
Ghana’s economy has shown recovery since the default. S&P reaffirmed the country’s ‘B-‘ credit rating in March, citing record foreign currency reserves and a current account surplus driven by strong gold exports.
However, S&P warned that debt interest payments are expected to consume about 20% of government revenue through 2029 and underscored the risks of fiscal slippage, especially during election periods.
Bondholders have until July 6 to provide instructions, with settlement scheduled for July 9.
