Sunbeth seals N150bn commercial paper deal

Africa’s leading integrated agricultural commodities company, Sunbeth Global Concepts Limited, has signed the transaction documents for its N150bn commercial paper note, the first series under its approved N500bn Commercial Paper Issuance Programme.

The transaction will provide short-term working capital for Sunbeth’s cocoa procurement activities during the 2026/2027 cocoa season. It will also support inventory requirements for the company’s 70,000-metric-tonne-per-annum processing facility, which is scheduled to commence operations in the first quarter of next year.

Speaking at the signing ceremony in Lagos, Chief Financial Officer of Sunbeth Global Concepts, Adeyemi Aduwo, explained that the transaction would provide timely funding for the company’s procurement activities and broader processing ambitions.

“The 2026/2027 cocoa season presents a critical procurement window, and this transaction gives us the working capital to respond efficiently to that opportunity, supporting our transition towards greater value addition”.

Sunbeth has established a track record in the domestic debt capital market following the successful redemption of its debut commercial paper issuance, in which the first tranche was oversubscribed by 65 per cent. The new N500bn programme provides a structured framework for the company to access short-term funding in line with its seasonal working capital requirements.

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The first tranche of N150bn saw keen investor activity with an oversubscription of 45 per cent, furtherdemonstrating Nigeria’s capital markets’ ability to provide sustainable financing models for productive activity in the agricultural sector.

Through the issuance, Sunbeth continues to strengthen its integrated agricultural platform, spanning sourcing, aggregation, and international trade, while advancing its plans to increase value creation within Africa’s agricultural economy.

The Commercial Paper issued in three series, with a minimum bid of N5m and tenors of 180, 270, and 364 days. The timing and size of each tranche will align with cocoa procurement requirements and prevailing market conditions.

Sunbeth maintains national-scale credit ratings from established African rating agencies, with long-term ratings ranging from BBB to BBB+ and a short-term rating of A2.