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Arik Air – ECA-backed bridge financing

23 March 2009

Afrexim and HSBC lead flight to quality

Read more: [Aircraft] [ECA] [Arik Air] [Coface] [Euler Hermes] [ECGD] [US Ex-Im] [Airbus] [Boeing]

This transaction is an excellent example of the flexible financing package an export credit agency can deliver for a known credit. The $106 million bridge financing for Arik Air, the privately-owned Nigerian airline, arranged by HSBC and African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) stands out as being the largest bridge financing for an ECA-covered transaction to date in Nigeria. The final loan was not only a landmark ECA bridge financing in its own right but also set a benchmark for structuring such deals in Nigeria and other parts of Africa. The borrower required the funding as part of its general fleet expansion plans to purchase one new Airbus...


Poll

Credit insurers have withstood the crisis admirably settling a high number of claims during 2009. If you are actively involved in trade transactions what percentage of your deal book now enjoys some political or credit risk cover from private insurers?

75% to 100%
33%
50% to 75%
30%
25% to 50%
9%
25% or less
10%
I don’t use private credit insurers
18%

Quote

You ignore LCs at your peril as a trade bank.

Mark Evans, ANZ - Banks examine the bigger trade picture - April 2010