Economy
Nigeria Records 28 Deals Worth $1bn in H1 2021
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A new report from Baker McKenzie has indicated that in the first half of 2021, Nigeria and South Africa recorded a surge in mergers and acquisitions (M&A).
However, Kenya, another key economy in Sub-Saharan Africa, witnessed a slight decline in the period under consideration, according to an analysis of Refinitiv data.
It was revealed that 28 deals worth $1 billion were recorded in Nigeria in H1 2021, indicating that by transaction volume, it rose by 17 per cent and by value, it soared by 267 per cent.
Refinitiv data reveals that domestic transactions decreased by 15 per cent to 11 deals, but deal value increased by 342 per cent year-on-year to $726 million.
Also, cross-border transactions increased by 13 per cent to 17 deals, with deal value rising by 8 per cent to $296 million, with financial companies being the prime targets for inbound deals at four transactions, showing a 100 per cent increase y-o-y and deal value of $10 million, a 327 per cent increase year on year.
Once again, the US served as the primary investor for Nigerian companies, with four deals worth $13 million. The largest inbound deal into Nigeria in H1 2021 was Mwendo Holdings BV’s (South Africa) $182 million acquisition of Blue Lake Ventures Ltd (Media and Entertainment), announced in June 2021.
In a statement obtained by Business Post, the Head of Africa for Baker McKenzie, Mr Wildu du Plessis, stated that while investors from the US have shown interest in Africa for some time, under President Joe Biden, the general consensus is that US engagement with African countries is focusing on strengthening relationships in a strategic, co-operative way.
It has been noted that Mr Biden will continue with successful bipartisan programmes implemented by his predecessors, as well as further encouraging US trade and investment in the continent.
Considering that American companies were the top investors in two of Africa’s largest economies in the first half of 2021, dealmakers are clearly comfortable with Biden’s approach to Africa.
South Africa
The value of M&A transactions in South Africa in H1 2021 amounted to $52 billion, with 169 deals announced in the period. Compared to the first half of 2020, transactions volumes decreased by 8 per cent but deal value increased by 958 per cent in the first half of 2021.
Refinitiv data showed that the volume of domestic transactions increased slightly to 80 deals, a 10 per cent increase y-o-y. Domestic transactions in South Africa in H1 21 were worth $46.7 billion, a dramatic 2,148 per cent increase. Further, cross-border transactions increased 17 per cent to 89 deals, with deal value surging 251 per cent to $5.4 billion.
According to Marc Yudaken, Partner in the Corporate/M&A Practice at Baker McKenzie in Johannesburg, “Despite the excellent start to 2021, the unrest in South Africa threatens to impact the positive strides made in terms of foreign investment into the country in the first six months of this year.
“For the sake of South Africa’s post-pandemic recovery, the turmoil engulfing our country has to be ended before investors are forced to seek less risky alternatives.
“Foreign investors will only ramp up their investments if they are confident their assets are safe. They need political and economic certainty and must have confidence that there is rule of law in the countries in which they invest.”
High technology companies were the primary targets for inbound deals in South Africa, with 12 transactions, representing 200 per cent in deal volume and a deal value of $160 million, an increase of 1,997 per cent when compared to the same period last year.
“It’s no secret that African consumers have shown a growing reliance on technology across multiple platforms, even well before the pandemic struck.
“The growth of the digital economy across the continent has naturally been accelerated by the pandemic and this unabated demand for technology has caused extensive cross-sector disruption, with the financial, energy, transport, retail, health and agricultural sectors all seeking opportunities to expand their tech infrastructure in order to acquire the necessary skills and innovation needed to keep up with demand.
“Fintech is also a popular tech sector for investment across Africa and specifically in South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria, with health-tech, mobility and agritech also attracting growing interest,” Mr du Plessis noted.
“It looks like South Africa is leading the way in terms of high-value deals in the tech sector and we expect this tech M&A trend to continue as the continent gears up to operate in the post-pandemic new normal,” he added.
The United States was the primary investor for South African companies, with 16 deals (an increase of 60 per cent) valued at $496 million (an increase of 340 per cent).
This was helped by TPG Capital LP’s $200 million acquisition of Airtel Africa Plc-Mobile (telecommunications) announced in March 2021. The largest inbound deal in H1 2021 was Temasek Holdings (Pte) Ltd’s (Singapore) $500 million acquisition of Leapfrog Investments (financials), also announced in March 2021.
Kenya
In H1 2021, deal-making in Kenya decreased by 14 per cent with 18 deals in the period and deal value decreased by 96 per cent to $11 million.
Financial companies were the prime targets for inbound deals with five transactions, representing a 150 per cent increase, with deals valued at $11 million, a 78 per cent decrease.
Nigeria served as the primary investor for Kenyan companies with three deals. The largest inbound deal into Kenya in H1 2021 was Liberty Holdings Ltd’s (South Africa) $8 million acquisition of Liberty Kenya Holdings Plc (insurance), announced in March 2021.
In its reaction to this, Mr Du Plessis said the decrease in M&A volume and value in Kenya in H1 2021 is expected to be temporary as the country continues to implement pandemic recovery policies, including a vaccine rollout strategy for the adult population with a planned completion date of mid-2022.
“The country’s reputation as an East African investment hub, in addition to its strong technology capabilities, means that it is just a matter of time before Kenya takes up its rightful place as one of the top target countries for technology transactions in Africa,” he submitted.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Seplat Energy Plc will revive hundreds of Nigerian oil wells laying fallow after completing the acquisition of Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (MPNU) from ExxonMobil.
The company said it aims to lift oil output to about 200,000 barrels a day, a move that will help boost Nigeria’s oil production levels, as it aims to reach 2 million barrels per day next year.
The transaction, according to Seplat, “is transformative for Seplat Energy, more than doubling production and positioning the company to drive growth and profitability, whilst contributing significantly to Nigeria’s future prosperity.”
The completion of the Seplat-ExxonMobil deal has created Nigeria’s leading independent energy company, with the enlarged company having equity in 11 blocks (onshore and shallow water Nigeria); 48 producing oil and gas fields; 5 gas processing facilities; and 3 export terminals.
Recall that the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) in October approved the deal as part of a series of approvals, while it blocked Shell’s asset sale of up to $2.4 billion to the Renaissance consortium.
The acquisition of the entire issued share capital of MPNU adds the following assets to the Seplat Group: 40 per cent operated interest in OML 67, 68, 70 and 104; 40 per cent operated interest in the Qua Iboe export terminal and the Yoho FSO; 51 per cent operated interest in the Bonny River Terminal (‘BRT’) NGL recovery plant; 9.6 per cent participating interest in the Aneman-Kpono field; and approximately 1,000 staff and 500 contractors will transition to the Seplat Group.
MPNU adds substantial reserves and production to Seplat Energy; 409 million barrels of oil equivalent (MMboe) 2P reserves and 670 MMboe 2P + 2C reserves and resources as at 30 June 2024 and 6M 2024 average daily production of 71.4 kboepd (thousand barrels of oil equivalent).
Business Post reports that Seplat will be part of the payment this year, and will defer some to next year,
Speaking on the transaction, the Chairman of Seplat Energy, Mr Udoma Udo Udoma commended President Bola Tinubu for supporting this transaction and appreciated the support and diligence of the various ministries and regulators for all the work to reach a successful conclusion.
“We are delighted to welcome the MPNU employees to Seplat Energy. We are excited to begin our journey in a new region of the country, and we look forward to replicating the positive impacts we have achieved within our communities in our current areas of operations.
“Seplat’s mission is to deliver value to all our stakeholders, and we treasure the good relationships we have developed with the government, regulators, communities and our staff.”
On his part, the chief executive of Seplat Energy, Mr Roger Brown, described the acquisition as a major milestone, adding, “I extend my thanks to the entire Seplat team for their hard work and perseverance to complete this transaction.
“MPNU’s employees and contractors have a strong reputation for safety and operational excellence, and I welcome them to the Seplat Energy Group.
“We have acquired a company with one of the best portfolios of assets and related infrastructure in a world-class basin, providing enormous potential for the Seplat Group. Our commitment is to invest to increase oil and gas production while reducing costs and emissions, maximising value for all our stakeholders.
“MPNU is a perfect fit with our strategy to build a sustainable business that can deliver affordable, accessible and reliable energy for Nigeria alongside attractive returns to our shareholders”.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The National Pension Commission (PenCom) is projected to close the year with over N22 trillion in pension assets impacted by challenges like inflation and monetary policies.
This is according to PenCom Director-General, Mrs Omolola Oloworaran, at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday.
She said as of October 2024, the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) had 10.53 million registered contributors and pension fund assets worth N21.92 trillion.
Speaking at the conference-themed Tech-driven Transformation Shaping the Pension Landscape, which showcased PenCom’s strategic commitment to innovation, she said that the numbers reflected the agency’s unwavering commitment to fund safety, prudent management, and sustainable growth.
She explained that the pension environment was impacted by the wider economic challenges facing the country, noting that the sector battled multi-year high inflation, Naira devaluation, and the lingering effects of unorthodox monetary policies by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Business Post reports that the apex bank hiked interest rates by 875 basis points this year alone to tackle persistent inflation which peaked at 33.8 per cent as of October.
She said that these challenges eroded the real value of pension funds and impacted contributors’ purchasing power.
“To address these issues, the commission has initiated a comprehensive review of its investment regulations.
“It is focusing on diversifying pension fund investments into inflation-protected instruments, alternative assets, and foreign currency-denominated investments.
“The goal is to safeguard contributor savings and ensure resilience against future economic volatility,” she said.
She restated the commission’s commitment to expanding pension coverage, particularly through the advanced micro-pension plan designed to encourage participation from the informal sector using technology.
“This initiative will make it easier for everyday Nigerians to save for retirement, aligning with our vision of inclusive growth and financial stability for all.
“The backlog in retirement benefits for retirees of the Federal Government’s Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) will soon be settled.
“The federal government recently disbursed N44 billion under the 2024 budget to settle approved pension rights.
“We are collaborating with the Federal Government to institutionalise a sustainable solution to ensure retirees receive their benefits promptly, eliminating delays,” Mrs Oloworaran said.
She said that PenCom’s technology-driven transformation aimed to make the CPS more accessible, reliable, and sustainable.
“From data management to seamless contributions and regulatory supervision, we are paving the way for a future where the pension industry serves all Nigerians effectively,” she said,
Mrs Oloworaran also said that the e-application portal for pension clearance certificates has replaced the manual processes and enhanced the ease of doing business in the sector.
“Since its deployment, 38,528 pension clearance certificates have been issued. This initiative ensures compliance and secures the future of Nigerians working in organisations that interact with the government,” she said.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange closed flat on Thursday, December 12 after it ended the trading session with no single price gainer or loser.
As a result, the market capitalisation remained unchanged at N1.055 trillion as the NASD Unlisted Security Index (NSI) followed the same route, remaining at 3,012.50 points like the previous trading session.
However, the activity chart witnessed changes as the volume of securities traded at the bourse went down by 92.5 per cent to 447,905 units from the 5.9 million units transacted a day earlier.
In the same vein, the value of securities bought and sold by investors declined by 86.6 per cent to N3.02 million from the N22.5 million recorded in the preceding trading day.
But the number of deals carried out during the session remained unchanged at 21 deals, according to data obtained by Business Post.
When trading activities ended for the day, Geo-Fluids Plc remained the most active stock by volume (year-to-date) with 1.7 billion units sold for N3.9 billion, Okitipupa Plc came next with 752.2 million units valued at N7.8 billion, and Afriland Properties Plc was in third place with 297.5 million units worth N5.3 million.
Also, Aradel Holdings Plc remained the most active stock by value (year-to-date) with 108.7 million units worth N89.2 billion, followed by Okitipupa Plc with 752.2 million units valued at N7.8 billion, and Afriland Properties Plc with 297.5 million units sold for N5.3 billion.
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