Agusto & Co. is a Pan-African Credit Rating Agency and a leading provider of industry research and knowledge in Sub-Saharan Africa with offices in Nairobi, Kigali & Lagos. Agusto & Co has assigned well over 3,000 ratings across various sectors in Africa. Our ratings are globally accepted, and a wide client base utilizes our ratings as a benchmark for business.
In performing the credit rating function, Agusto & Co relies on a database of information that it has built since 1992. Our ratings encompass financial institutions, corporates, non-bank financial institutions, insurance companies, funds, asset managers, finance houses, as well as corporate and municipal debt issues.
At Agusto & Co, our focus is to assign ratings that are transparent and independent for the sustainable growth of the financial market and the economy.
Our milestones include:
- Registered and Licensed by the Capital Markets Authority (CMA) Kenya in 2013
- Registered and Licensed by the Capital Markets Authority (CMA) Rwanda in 2013
- First credit rating agency to be registered by the Securities & Exchange Commission, Nigeria in 2001.
What is A Credit Rating?
A credit rating is an independent opinion on the creditworthiness of an obligor.
- Issuer/Entity
- An independent unbiased opinion on the general credit worthiness of an obligor
- Focus is on capacity to meet all financial commitments as they fall due
- Not specific to any particular debt
- Does not take into consideration the specific nature or provisions of any particular obligation
- Issue/Debt Instrument
- A current assessment of the credit worthiness of the obligor on a particular instrument which it intends to issue or has outstanding
- Focus is on the obligor’s ability to meet its obligations, in a timely manner, on that particular instrument
- May reflect the creditworthiness of guarantors or other forms of credit enhancement on the obligation

Agusto & Co has assigned well over 3,000 ratings across various sectors in Africa

Benefits of Credit Ratings
Entity (Issuer or Obligor)
- Independent and internationally recognized way of communicating the financial strength of a company to lenders and the public
- A rating enhances the ability of a company to access the local currency money market and the capital market to raise money
- A way of getting “Consulting Advice” as it provides management with an independent opinion on the organization and its operations
Investor & Lenders
- Provide an independent credit evaluation
- Provide independent information to treasurers, credit risk managers or other persons who have responsibility for setting risk acceptance criteria
- Provide a common language for debt markets and a basis to compare securities with similar credit risks
- The ratings and accompanying analysis help in disseminating information and imparting transparency to all, including less sophisticated investors
Financial System
- Fosters the development of the capital and money markets.
- Increased transparency
- Broaden the investor base and the range of borrowers.
- Promotes merit based access to funding
- Complements the role of regulatory authorities