IslamicFinance.de

The growth in Sukuk’s popularity can be traced back to the global financial crisis in 2008. Since then, several sovereign and sub-sovereign bonds were issued under Islamic principles. In Africa it is Kenya that has commited to positioning itself as a regional Islamic finance hub. Finance Minister Henry Rotich outlined the steps as part of the country’s 2017/2018 budget aiming to level the playing field between Islamic and interest-based transactions. The primary objective is to prepare the groundwork for a sovereign sukuk but also to attract corporate sukuk from the region. Nigeria’s seven-year N100bn Sukuk bond offers an avenue for a competitive alternative to the conventional banking system and a path towards sustainable economic recovery.