MAURITIUS HOSTS LAUNCH OF AFRICA CREDIT RATING AGENCY
DATA PRO
Port Louis, Mauritius — Mauritius will host a major event in Africa’s credit rating sector this week with the launch of the African Credit Rating Agency, AfCRA.
The agency will be launched on Tuesday, October 7, 2026, in Port Louis.
The launch comes after the 2nd Africa Annual Conference on Credit Ratings, which holds from October 5 to 6, 2026.
The conference is convened by the African Peer Review Mechanism, in collaboration with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and other partners.
It will bring together policymakers, financial institutions, rating agencies, investors and researchers to discuss Africa’s credit rating landscape and its impact on investment and development.
On the sidelines, the United Nations Development Programme will hold a roundtable on strengthening domestic credit rating systems to unlock corporate investment in Africa.
DataPro, a rating agency, says domestic rating agencies provide market-specific knowledge that can bridge gaps between African businesses and investors.
It says the domestic market remains fragmented, with different rating scales and methods. It adds that high cost and information needs limit access for many businesses.
DataPro says the UNDP roundtable will explore how to expand credible credit risk assessment across Africa without compromising quality and independence. It will also look at how technology, better data and common standards can reduce cost and improve comparability.
The roundtable will bring together rating agencies, banks, investors, stock exchanges, regulators, private sector players and development partners.
The initiative builds on UNDP’s Africa Credit Ratings Initiative, launched in 2024 with support from Japan. More than 400 government officials have taken part in the program since its launch.
Organizers say the events in Mauritius will help stakeholders examine how Africa assesses credit risk and how better information can support business and investment.
