Crisis hit Ghana offers 2% cash to investors in domestic debt exchange

Ghana is paying holders of its 2023 bond a 2% cash fee in exchange for participation in an exchange for longer-term domestic debt, the finance ministry said in a document released on Wednesday.

The crisis-hit country launched an amended offer for the exchange on Dec. 24 and extended the deadline for bondholders to accept the offer to Jan. 16, though it did not give a full breakdown on coupons and other details.

It also said in December that eight additional instruments would be created, bringing the total number of new bonds to 12, with one maturing each year from 2027 to 2038.

Holders of the 2023 bond are only eligible to receive bonds maturing between 2027 and 2033, the ministry said.

“Given that holders of Eligible 2023 Bonds are being asked to extend the maturities of what are now effectively short-term instruments, investors will receive a cash tender fee of 2% of the outstanding amount of such 2023 Bonds tendered and accepted,” said the document.

The ministry also gave more detail on the coupon structure of the 12 bonds, all of which were set at 0% for 2023 and 5% for 2024. Thereafter, coupons varied depending on maturity from 9% for the bond maturing in 2027 to 10.65% for the issue coming due in 2038.

“The amended coupon structure for the new bonds has been designed to mimic a yield curve with a standard shape,” it said.

Ghana’s government, in a bid to mitigate an ongoing economic crisis, has negotiated a staff-level agreement for a $3 billion loan package from the International Monetary Fund, which will only be approved if it undergoes comprehensive debt restructuring.