The loan CRDB’s fourth since 2022 was co-arranged by Investec Bank and Intesa Sanpaolo. Initially structured as a two-year $100 million facility, it was upsized to $200 million following overwhelming interest from investors
Dar es Salaam. CRDB Bank has raised $200 million in its latest syndicated loan facility after international lenders committed a record $567 million, more than double the targeted amount.
The strong demand underscores growing global confidence in one of Tanzania’s largest s and the East African economy.
The loan CRDB’s fourth since 2022 was co-arranged by Investec Bank and Intesa Sanpaolo. Initially structured as a two-year $100 million facility, it was upsized to $200 million following overwhelming interest from investors.
“As a sign of continued market confidence in CRDB Bank and the future potential of the East African economy, the syndicated term loan facility was again oversubscribed,” said Marc Kohne, Head of Africa Leveraged Finance at Investec Corporate & Institutional Banking.
According to the arrangers, commitments reached $416.5 million for the one-year tranche and $151 million for the two-year tranche, marking the highest uptake since the syndication programme began.
Investor appetite has grown steadily over four years: commitments rose from $130 million in 2022, to $202 million in 2023, and $247 million in 2024, culminating in this year’s record figure.
“The lender pool has expanded from 13 institutions in 2022 to 30 in 2025, including new entrants from South Africa and Nigeria’s Africa Finance Corporation,” noted Rowan King, Investec’s Head of Africa Business Development.
Boost for regional growth
CRDB Bank Group CEO Abdulmajid Nsekela said the oversubscription highlights confidence in both the bank and Africa’s long-term growth prospects.
“The consistent oversubscription of our funding rounds reflects the world’s growing confidence in Africa’s economic future. The record $567 million bid highlights Africa’s rising status as a destination for sustainable growth and opportunity, with CRDB Bank proud to play its part in unlocking this potential,” he said.
The $200 million loan will provide working capital for CRDB’s corporate and SME lending portfolios in Tanzania and Burundi, including project and infrastructure finance linked to the commodities sector.
Nsekela added that Moody’s recent B1 rating with a stable outlook reinforced lender confidence and strengthened CRDB’s position among Africa’s top financial institutions.
Intesa Sanpaolo’s Gustaaf Eerenstein praised the facility as “a positive reflection on Tanzania” and a testament to CRDB’s strong track record.
Since its first syndication in 2022, CRDB has steadily grown facility sizes from $130 million to $200 million, representing a compound annual growth rate of 15.44 percent.
Founded in 1996 and listed on the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange in 2009, CRDB Bank today holds assets worth over $5 billion. It operates in Tanzania, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and also runs CRDB Insurance and the CRDB Bank Foundation
