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South Africa’s MultiChoice recommends Canal+ offer

South Africa’s MultiChoice recommends Canal+ offer

AN offer by France's Canal+ for the shares it does not own in South Africa's MultiChoice (MCGJ.J), is "fair and reasonable" according to an independent board formed by the latter and reviewed by Standard Bank, the two broadcasters said. MultiChoice appointed the bank to examine the all-cash mandatory offer which would create a pan-African broadcaster with about 31.5 million subscribers across more than 50 countries. Canal+, part of French media group Vivendi (VIV.PA), in April, made a firm offer of 125 rands in cash per MultiChoice share, or about 35 billion rands ($1.88 billion), which valued the company at about 55 billion rands. The offer…
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South African assets gain on rising hopes of market-friendly coalition

South African assets gain on rising hopes of market-friendly coalition

SOUTH Africa's rand, stocks and government bonds gained, as investors bet on the prospect of the African National Congress (ANC) striking a coalition deal with a market-friendly party after failing to get a majority in last week's election. The assets tumbled last week on worries of a tie-up with the more radical parties like the far-left Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) or former president Jacob Zuma's uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK), compared to a coalition that brings in the pro-business Democratic Alliance (DA). Financial and political analysts said on Monday the chances of an ANC-DA pact were higher than one involving MK or EFF.…
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Nigeria central bank revokes licence of Heritage Bank as bank rules breached

Nigeria central bank revokes licence of Heritage Bank as bank rules breached

NIGERIA'S central bank said that it had revoked the banking licence of unlisted lender Heritage Bank Plc due to a breach of banking regulations. "Regrettably, the bank has continued to suffer and has no reasonable prospects of recovery, thereby making the revocation of the licence the next necessary step," the regulator said in a statement. The central bank said its action followed a period of engagement with the bank where it prescribed various supervisory steps intended to stem a decline in Heritage's performance. "The board and management of the bank have not been able to improve the bank's financial performance,…
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Morocco to tender for floating LNG terminal

Morocco to tender for floating LNG terminal

MOROCCO plans to launch a tender this summer to build a floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in the northeastern Nador West Med port, the energy ministry's head of oil and gas said. The ministry expects to reach a financial close in 2025 with construction, commissioning and commercial operations due in 2026, Abdelghafour El Hadjaoui said in a presentation seen by Reuters. The LNG terminal will be connected to an existing pipeline that helps Morocco import 0.5 billion cubic meters (bcm) of LNG annually from Spanish terminals, enough to power two small electricity production plants. Morocco also plans to connect…
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Exxon moves to smaller offices as it cuts back Nigerian operations

Exxon moves to smaller offices as it cuts back Nigerian operations

EXXONMOBIL (XOM.N) is not renewing a 33-year-old lease on its expansive offices in Lagos's upscale Lekki district which expires, three sources inside the company told Reuters, as it looks to scale down operations in Nigeria. Exxon, Shell (SHEL.L), TotalEnergies (TTEF.PA) and Eni (ENI.MI) have all sought to leave Nigeria's oil-rich Niger Delta in recent years, citing security concerns, but such moves have been stalled by regulatory hurdles. ExxonMobil's plan to sell its land and shallow-water assets to local oil firm Seplat Energy (SEPLAT.LG), agreed in 2022, is nearing close as the local oil sector regulator told Reuters that an agreement signed on Wednesday between Nigerian state…
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Insight: How a rattled South Africa became Anglo’s best defence against BHP bid

Insight: How a rattled South Africa became Anglo’s best defence against BHP bid

DAYS after miner BHP (BHP.AX) launched its takeover bid for rival Anglo American (AAL.L) in April, the CEOs of both headed for South Africa, where a condition to divest Anglo's local platinum and iron ore assets was causing a political storm. More than 20% of Anglo shares are held by South African investors, and the London-listed group's presence is deemed of national value in the country, where it was founded in 1917 and employs more than 40,000 people. While Anglo CEO Duncan Wanblad appears to have so far succeeded in enlisting support for his new turnaround strategy, the trip did not work out…
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AfDB aims to boost infrastructure funding as African growth accelerates

AfDB aims to boost infrastructure funding as African growth accelerates

AFRICA'S economic growth is set to accelerate to 3.7% this year and 4.3% next from 3.1% in 2023, African Development Bank (AfDB) President Akinwumi Adesina said, expressing hope that the bank can boost infrastructure investment with IMF help. "African economies are experiencing great resilience despite the challenges posed by climate change, geopolitical tensions, global inflation, rising debt, among others," Adesina told the annual meeting of the bank. In the past nine years the bank has invested over $50 billion in infrastructure projects on the continent, he said. Adesina said two weeks ago that the International Monetary Fund had approved multilateral…
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BHP walks away from $49 billion pursuit of mining rival Anglo

BHP walks away from $49 billion pursuit of mining rival Anglo

MINING group BHP Group (BHP.AX) walked away from its $49 billion plan to take over rival Anglo American (AAL.L), which rejected a last-ditch request for more time, ending for now its six-week pursuit. BHP's aim was to secure Anglo's prized copper assets in Latin America and increase access to a metal central to the global shift towards clean energy and electric vehicles. However, the structure of BHP's deal, which required Anglo to unbundle its South African platinum and iron ore businesses, was a major reason for its collapse. Anglo had granted BHP a one-week extension until 1600 GMT on Wednesday to its original May…
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Zambia to emerge from debt default as bondholders back $3 bln restructuring

Zambia to emerge from debt default as bondholders back $3 bln restructuring

ZAMBIA'S Ministry of Finance said that more than 90% of holders of its $3 billion in outstanding international bonds had accepted its restructuring proposal, paving the way for it to emerge from a lengthy default. The country defaulted more than three years ago and is reworking its debt under the G20 Common Framework - a platform to bring together creditors like China and developed creditor nations, known as the Paris Club, to ensure swift and smooth debt overhauls for low-income countries. Zambia was widely seen as a test case for the G20 plan but the process had been beset by…
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