Nasdaq Dubai Welcomes Republic of the Congo's $1.55 Billion Bond Listing, First African Sovereign Issuer

Nasdaq Dubai has welcomed the secondary listing of two sovereign bond issuances totalling $1.55 billion by the Republic of the Congo, the first sovereign issuer from Africa to list securities on the exchange, EIN Presswire reported. The listings comprise $700 million 9.500% Amortising Notes due February 17, 2035, and $850 million 9.500% Amortising Notes due May 26, 2036.

Congo's Debut Listing on Nasdaq Dubai

Christian Yoka, Minister of Finance, Budget and Public Portfolio of the Republic of the Congo, rang the market opening bell at Nasdaq Dubai in the presence of Hamed Ali, CEO of Nasdaq Dubai and Dubai Financial Market (DFM), and Mark Steward, Chief Executive of the Dubai Financial Services Authority. The secondary listing complements the initial listing of the bonds on the London Stock Exchange and expands visibility across institutional investors, banks and corporates based in the Middle East, according to an Emirates News Agency (WAM) report cited by EIN Presswire.

Yoka said: "The Republic of the Congo highly values the strengthening of its economic and financial partnership with the UAE. We are proud to be the first ever African sovereign issuer to list securities in the UAE."

Hamed Ali commented: "Welcoming the Republic of the Congo as our first African sovereign issuer is a milestone moment for Nasdaq Dubai and a strong testament to Dubai's expanding role as a global marketplace for cross-border capital flows."

Steward said: "We welcome the Republic of the Congo's inaugural listing on Nasdaq Dubai. This is a milestone and reflects the growing connectivity between Africa and Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC)."

Nasdaq Dubai's total outstanding debt listings now exceed $147.5 billion, with sovereign issuances accounting for 43% of the total.

Nasdaq Dubai's Debt Listing Record

According to akta.pro company records, Nasdaq Dubai's total outstanding debt securities stood at more than $141 billion as of July 2026, encompassing sukuk, conventional bonds, ESG instruments and other fixed-income products. The exchange hosts more than $98.6 billion in outstanding sukuk listings as of July 2026 and covers global investors from 212 countries. In 2025, Nasdaq Dubai launched the Growth Market, a segment for companies with market capitalisation under $2.5 billion seeking international expansion.

Earlier Listings on the Exchange

In September 2026, Nasdaq Dubai listed a $1.75 billion, three-year benchmark bond issued by New Development Bank, bringing its total listed value to $3.75 billion under its $50 billion EMTN programme, Gulf Today reported. In July 2026, Ajman Bank listed a $300 million Additional Tier 1 Perpetual Sukuk on Nasdaq Dubai, its first capital securities transaction, with the 5.5-year sukuk carrying a 6.50% profit rate and oversubscribed at over $500 million, eyeofriyadh.com reported. Also in July 2026, the Arab Energy Fund listed a $500 million sukuk on Nasdaq Dubai, attracting over $900 million in orders and achieving 2x oversubscription, Sahmcapital reported.

Dubai Financial Market's First-Quarter Results

Dubai Financial Market PJSC reported first-quarter 2026 revenue rising 36% year-on-year to AED 253.1 million, with EBITDA increasing 38% to AED 211.6 million and net profit growing 39.8% to AED 177.7 million, MarketScreener reported.