NMB Bank Plc Becomes First Tanzanian Bank to List at London Stock Exchange 

• NMB marks another milestone as the first corporate bond from Tanzania to be listed at London stock exchange.

NMB Bank PLC celebrates the listing of its maiden three-year US$ 73 million Sustainability Bond on the International Securities Market (ISM) and Sustainable Bond Market (SBM) Platform at the London Stock Exchange (LSE).

LSE is the world’s leading exchange for listing of international debt securities and is highly recognized for advancing climate-aligned, sustainable finance and investing.

The bank’s sustainable bond christened ‘Jamii bond’; whose proceeds are being used for climate-positive infrastructure was displayed on the London Stock Exchange during a market open ceremony held on Monday 13th May 2024.

Speaking on the occasion, Ms. Julia Hoggett CEO, London Stock Exchange said: “We are delighted to welcome NMB Bank’s sustainability bond to the London Stock Exchange, and to be the venue of choice for the bond’s first admission to trading outside Africa. This not only highlights NMB’s dedication to transparency and commitment to their sustainability objectives, but also showcases the continued international investor support that issuers across Africa can find in London. We are a leading global hub for sustainable finance and proud to be at the forefront of enabling capital flows towards the green economy.”

NMB CEO Ruth Zaipuna said: “Today’s listing of the Jamii bond cements NMB Bank’s position as a trailblazer in sustainability within the African capital markets and now at a global stage, and we are humbled that our commitment to ESG principles has garnered national and international recognition.

This extraordinary success highlights the strong confidence Tanzanian and global investors have in NMB Bank’s soundness and commitment to sustainability across operations, business, community, and environment. It reaffirms our creditworthiness and reflects the desire of investors, both local and international, to seize the safe and impactful investment opportunities within Tanzania’s robust investment climate.

Today, the bank has two of its issuances amounting to $105 mln in the international market, namely Jasiri gender bond in Luxembourg Stock Exchange (LuxSE) and Jamii bond now listed at the London Stock Exchange. “This has given our bonds better visibility, apart from providing access to a deep pool of capital and wide investor base.” We appreciate the participation of Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) and global investors in our issuances.

“At NMB Bank, we recognize the critical role that finance plays in driving sustainable development and addressing the complex challenges facing our planet and society,” said Ms. Ruth Zaipuna, CEO of NMB Bank Plc. She further commended the work done by joint lead transaction advisors, reporting accountant; the legal advisors, and a sponsoring broker for their valuable contributions in bringing to market this transaction.

Our hope is that with the bond trading at LSE, one of the largest stock exchanges in the world, we can catalyze investment in projects that deliver tangible social and environmental benefits.

Related Article: Tanzanian Bank NMB launches $400 million Green Bond Program

As Tanzania’s leading financial institution listed on the Dar es salaam Stock Exchange and second largest listed Bank in East Africa (Market Capitalization about USD 1 Billion), NMB Bank Plc remains committed to advancing sustainable development and promoting responsible investment practices, with the assurance of rigorous impact assessment and transparent reporting.