CRDB Bank Lists Historic Kijani Bond on LuxSE

On Tuesday 1 July 2025, the Luxembourg Stock Exchange (LuxSE) announced that Tanzania-based CRDB Bank has "made history" by listing its landmark green bond on LuxSE, raising financing for climate-smart agriculture, clean cooking energy and green buildings and transport systems in Tanzania.

CRDB Bank Group has become one of the first commercial banks in Sub-Saharan Africa to have a domestically issued green bond admitted on LuxSE and displayed on the Luxembourg Green Exchange (LGX), the world's leading sustainable finance platform.

Known as the "Kijani" bond, after the Swahili word for "green", the TZS 171.8 billion (equivalent to USD $65.7 million) bond issuance admitted on LuxSE's Securities Official List (LuxSE SOL) marks a "significant milestone" for CRDB Bank, Tanzania and the broader African continent, as it showcases the growing appetite and capability for climate-resilient investments originating from Africa and reaching global capital markets, according to LuxSE.

The landmark listing was celebrated during an official Ring the Bell ceremony held at LuxSE on Monday 30 June 2025. Attendees included CRDB Bank Group CEO Abdulmajid Mussa Nsekela, LuxSE Chief Commercial Officer and Member of the Executive Committee, Arnaud Delestienne, and the Chargé d'Affaires at the Embassy of Tanzania to Belgium and Luxembourg, Juma Ali Salum, as well as other senior officials from CRDB Bank, LuxSE and Orbit Securities Tanzania, who served as the sponsoring broker for the Kijani Bond issuance.

"This listing represents more than the culmination of a financial transaction; it marks a new chapter of partnership between Africa and Europe in financing the green transition," said Abdulmajid Mussa Nsekela, Group CEO of CRDB Bank. "We are proud to be pioneers in this space, raising the equivalent of USD 65.7 million through our first green bond which was oversubscribed by 429%. Today, we take our sustainability journey global, not just to raise funds, but to raise the bar. This is a message to the world: Africa is ready to lead in sustainable finance with innovation, integrity and ambition."

LuxSE noted that CRDB Bank's green bond is the first of its kind in Tanzania and one of the largest in Sub-Saharan Africa. The funds raised are already being deployed across high-impact sectors such as renewable energy, climate-smart agriculture, clean cooking energy, green buildings, sustainable water and sanitation systems, as well as environmentally friendly transport solutions.

"We are honoured to welcome CRDB Bank and its pioneering green bond to the Luxembourg Stock Exchange. This serves as a strong example of how international capital markets can help mobilise funding to ensure access to vital services and accelerate the green transition in Africa, and is a testament to the continent's increasingly important role in the advancement of sustainable finance," commented Arnaud Delestienne, Chief Commercial Officer and Member of the Executive Committee at LuxSE.

Speaking at the ceremony, Juma Ali Salum, Chargé d'Affaires at the Embassy of Tanzania to Belgium and Luxembourg, commended CRDB Bank's leadership in sustainability, saying: "Today's listing is a proud moment for Tanzania and a proof to our nation's commitment to the global climate agenda under the visionary leadership of Her Excellency President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan. CRDB Bank's Kijani Bond reflects Tanzania’s ambition to be a model of inclusive, climate-resilient growth. This is a powerful demonstration of Africa's readiness to partner on a greener global future."

According to LuxSE, as an accredited entity of the United Nations Green Climate Fund (UN-GCF), CRDB Bank continues to position itself as a leader in sustainable finance across East and Central Africa. The admission of the Kijani Bond on the LuxSE is expected to amplify CRDB Bank's access to global capital while strengthening its impact on the ground.

With strong governance, robust reporting frameworks and a commitment to transparency, according to LuxSE, CRDB Bank's green bond has already empowered thousands of women and youth-led businesses, supported climate-smart farming and improved livelihoods across Tanzania.