What will it take for Nigeria to earn and sustain an investment-grade rating?

The answer goes far beyond a single upgrade on a rating scale. It touches on fiscal discipline, economic resilience, institutional strength, debt sustainability, investor confidence, and ultimately, the credibility of the policies underpinning them.

DataPro’s 2026 International Rating Webinar will put these issues in the spotlight. Themed “Sovereign Credit Rating: Africa’s Roadmap to Investment-Grade Status”, the webinar will bring together experts with perspectives spanning credit ratings, public finance, risk management, macroeconomics and political economy.

Following the announcement of the webinar in the July edition of Rating Brief, we now unveil the distinguished panelists who will lead this important conversation on Thursday, 8 October 2026, at 2:00 p.m. WAT.

Meet the Experts

Dr. Misheck Mutize
Lead Expert, Credit Rating Agencies, African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM)

Africa’s pursuit of stronger sovereign credit profiles also raises an important question: how can the continent strengthen its credit narrative and its position within the global financial system?

Dr. Misheck Mutize brings a perspective directly relevant to this question. He is a leading voice on Africa’s credit rating agenda and global capital positioning and is also involved in efforts towards the establishment of the Africa Credit Rating Agency (AfCRA).

With expertise spanning sovereign risk, debt sustainability and global financial reform, Dr. Mutize brings valuable insight into the challenges African economies face in strengthening their credit profiles, improving market credibility and positioning themselves more effectively in global capital markets.

Mrs. Oluwakemi Babalogbon
Executive Director, Risk Management, Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI)

A stronger sovereign credit profile ultimately depends on how effectively a country manages its resources, risks and obligations. This places risk management and public-sector asset management firmly within the investment-grade conversation.

Mrs. Babalogbon brings over 20 years of experience across corporate finance, asset management and public finance. She is involved in the strategic management and value optimisation of Nigeria’s state-owned assets.

Her experience provides a practical perspective on institutional governance, risk management and the ability of public-sector institutions to create and preserve value. These factors can significantly affect sovereign credibility and investor confidence.

Dr. Daniel Cash
Founder, Credit Rating Research Initiative

Between a country’s economic performance and the rating assigned to it lies a complex assessment of risk, resilience and creditworthiness. Understanding this process is essential to understanding why sovereign ratings matter.

Dr. Daniel Cash brings extensive academic and research expertise to this aspect of the conversation. An Associate Professor at Aston University and Senior Fellow at the United Nations University’s Centre for Policy Research, he is a prominent academic voice on the credit rating industry.

Prof. Dr. Torsten Schmidt
Head, Macroeconomics & Public Finance Research, RWI – Essen

No country can build a credible case for investment-grade status without getting its economic fundamentals right.

Fiscal sustainability, public finances, economic growth and macroeconomic stability are central to sovereign creditworthiness. As Head of Macroeconomics & Public Finance Research at RWI – Essen, Prof. Dr. Torsten Schmidt brings expertise directly into these areas.

Prof. Kai Gehring
Professor of Political Economy, University of Bern

Yet economic numbers do not tell the entire sovereign credit story.

Behind fiscal outcomes, economic reforms and policy decisions are institutions, governance structures and political incentives. Prof. Kai Gehring brings this political economy perspective to the panel, offering insight into how these factors can shape economic performance and the effectiveness of reforms.

His contribution adds another important dimension to the investment-grade debate: can economic reforms deliver lasting improvements in sovereign creditworthiness without the institutional capacity and policy credibility to sustain them?

Five Perspectives. One Critical Conversation.

The panelists approach sovereign creditworthiness from different disciplines, but their perspectives converge on a central reality: “investment-grade status cannot be achieved through a single reform, a favourable economic cycle or an isolated improvement in one indicator.”

It requires sound macroeconomic management, fiscal discipline, sustainable debt, effective institutions, prudent risk management and the confidence that these strengths can be maintained over time.

This makes the conversation particularly relevant as African economies seek to strengthen their fiscal positions, deepen their capital markets and attract the long-term investment needed to support sustainable growth.

Register now and join DataPro for this conversation.