Investing.com -- Fitch Ratings has revised the outlook on IHS Holding Limited to positive from stable while affirming its Long-Term Issuer Default Rating (IDR) at ’B+’.
The positive outlook reflects Fitch’s expectation that IHS’s cash flow from operations-capex/debt ratio could improve above the 5% threshold over the next two to three years, driven by organic EBITDA growth and lower interest and capex costs.
Fitch expects IHS’s net leverage to decline to 3.0x by the end of 2025 from 3.6x at the end of 2024, well below the 4.5x upgrade threshold. This reduction will be supported by EBITDA growth in Nigeria, proceeds from asset sales in Kuwait and Rwanda, and lower capital expenditures.
The company began a strategic review in March 2024 to enhance shareholder value, focusing on improving free cash flow and divesting non-core assets to raise between $500 million and $1 billion. IHS has already sold its Kuwait assets in December 2024 and completed the disposal of its Rwanda operations in October 2025.
IHS maintains robust financial flexibility with significant cash balances and undrawn credit facilities. The company has renewed key contracts, including agreements with MTN Nigeria extended until 2032 and contracts with Airtel in Nigeria until 2031 and in Zambia until 2035.
Despite these strengths, about 60% of IHS’s revenue in the first nine months of 2025 came from Nigeria, which Fitch assesses as having high operating environment risk. The rating agency noted that approximately 85% of the company’s debt is denominated in US dollars, while only about 60% of EBITDA is covered.
IHS’s Long-Term Foreign-Currency IDR is one notch higher than Nigeria’s Country Ceiling of ’B’, reflecting structural enhancements and the expectation that offshore liquidity resources could service hard currency-denominated debt during any balance-of-payments crisis.
The company’s growth is supported by favorable industry dynamics in emerging markets, where 4G availability is about half that of Europe and 5G penetration is just 3%. IHS expects Nigeria and Brazil to drive further growth, including a new agreement with TIM S.A. to build up to 3,000 sites in Brazil.
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