
LONDON, June 4 (Reuters) - Fitch downgraded its credit rating for Afreximbank on Wednesday, citing high credit risks and weak risk-management policies.
The one-notch downgrade to BBB-, with a negative outlook, comes as the African lender battles to protect its loans from restructuring in Ghana, Zambia and Malawi, claiming that as a multilateral lender it has preferred creditor status.
Fitch pegged Afreximbank's non-performing loans at above 6%, while the bank itself reported an NPL ratio of 2.44% in the first half.