Pathway Advisors Limited has announced its pivotal role as the sole financial adviser and Lead Issuing House in facilitating a ₦20 billion bond issuance for Dimension Data Nigeria Limited, operating under Dimension Data SPV Funding Plc. This significant transaction reinforces Pathway Advisors' leadership in capital market advisory and infrastructure finance within Nigeria.

The formal conclusion of the transaction involved the execution of documentation at the Capital Club, Victoria Island, Lagos, following necessary clearance from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). This signing ceremony signifies a crucial milestone in securing long-term financing solutions tailored for Nigeria's burgeoning digital infrastructure sector.

Speaking on the strategic importance of the issuance, Adekunle Alade (FCA), Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Pathway Advisors Limited, highlighted the critical need for sustained investment in digital infrastructure, particularly in the realms of data centre development and last-mile fibre deployment. Alade stated, "Data centre development and last-mile fiber deployment demand significant investment and long-term financing aligned with their operational lifespan." He further elaborated, "By leveraging the capital markets, issuers can access a diverse pool of institutional investors whose long-term investment horizons are well matched to infrastructure assets, enabling stable, well-structured funding to support sustainable growth." He added, "The successful transaction further strengthens Pathway Advisors’ position as a trusted investment banking and financial advisory firm in complex capital market transactions."

This successful bond issuance builds on Pathway Advisors' prior achievement in leading Dimension Data Limited's ₦3.8 billion working capital commercial paper issuance, which was notably oversubscribed, underscoring robust investor confidence in the company and the advisory firm's capabilities.

Gbenga Olabiyi, Managing Director of Dimension Data Nigeria, described the bond programme as a pivotal strategic initiative designed to enhance infrastructure resilience and foster sustained value creation. "Sustained infrastructure investment is essential to maintaining competitiveness and unlocking future growth," Olabiyi commented. "When deployed thoughtfully, infrastructure secures the business, future-proofs operations, and allows efficient scaling as data demand and complexity increase." He also pointed out the persistent challenges hindering Nigeria's progress, stating, "The gaps in digital infrastructure, including limited metro and last-mile fibre coverage, as well as constrained enterprise connectivity, are still challenges holding Nigeria back." Olabiyi emphasized the critical role of reliable and scalable data infrastructure as organizations accelerate digital adoption and modernize operations across various sectors. He confirmed that the bond programme is specifically structured to expand critical digital infrastructure capacity, bolster network resilience, and support the enterprise and carrier-grade services necessary to meet Nigeria’s escalating data and connectivity demands.

Shatse Kakwagh, Managing Partner of Mbavaa Partners Limited, the private equity firm backing Dimension Data Limited, characterized the transaction as a defining moment in the company's growth trajectory. "This is a journey we began years ago, and it proves that the opportunities we see in the market can be realised," Kakwagh remarked. "We believe strongly in working with partners to address the critical infrastructure deficit in Nigeria and across Africa. This programme enables us to secure the right type of capital to finance the aggressive growth we have planned."

The transaction involved a comprehensive team of professional parties, including KPMG Professional Services as Auditor to the Sponsor, Deloitte & Touche as Reporting Accountants, STL Trustees Limited as Bond Trustees, Greychapel Legal as Solicitor to the Offer, Alliance Law Firm as Solicitor to the Issuer, CardinalStone Registrars Limited as Registrar, Mascot Okpori & Co as Auditor to the Issuer, Fidelity Bank Plc as Receiving Bank, and Agusto & Co and Datapro Limited as Rating Agencies.