News and analysis on global M&A and corporate financing strategies

Middle East & Africa


Latest Stories

South Africa / Finance

South African fixed-line incumbent Telkom is looking to rebuild its partnership with US-based AT&T in a move that signals a change in strategy. In an interview with Reuters, Jeffery Hedberg, acting CEO of Telkom, revealed that the company's new focus is on existing customers as opposed to new licences. Although Telkom's initial... 2010-09-01


Mozambique / Finance

The Mozambican government is considering the partial privatisation its wholly owned incumbent operator Moçambique Celular (mCel). It is also reviewing bids from three shortlisted companies... 2010-09-01


Sudan / Finance

Relatively unknown Luxembourg-based exploration company Star Petroleum on August 6 signed an agreement with Sudan to explore for oil and gas in Block Ea, which spans four states in... 2010-08-09


Financing Strategies

Sudan

Relatively unknown Luxembourg-based exploration company Star Petroleum on August 6 signed an agreement with Sudan to explore for oil and gas in Block Ea, which spans four states in... 2010-08-09


Export credit agencies (ECAs) are taking up the slack in the absence of traditional lenders to support project financing. CFW believes that until international capital markets become... 2010-07-21


South Africa

South Africa's largest public pension fund, the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF), has announced plans to allocate US$4bn to infrastructure development in the country. One of... 2010-07-14


Saudi Arabia

The privatisation of Saudi Arabia's port sector is progressing, with an independent firm due to be set up to manage the privatisation of eight of the kingdom's ports. BMI believes that... 2010-06-04

IPO And Privatisation Analysis

Mozambique

The Mozambican government is considering the partial privatisation its wholly owned incumbent operator Moçambique Celular (mCel). It is also reviewing bids from three shortlisted companies... 2010-09-01


Iran

The Iranian government has sold an 18% stake in domestic carmaker Iran Khodro (IKCO) to a consortium of investors, supporting the view of BMI's autos' desk that investment from outside... 2010-07-21


Nigeria

The final stage of financial bidding in the privatisation of Nigerian telecoms incumbent Nitel is to open on February 16 2010. The Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) has said that... 2010-02-10


United Arab Emirates

UAE-based Metito, which designs and supplies water and wastewater treatment and desalination systems, is mulling over an IPO in 2010 to finance expansion in the water infrastructure... 2009-08-18

M&A Analysis

South Africa

South African fixed-line incumbent Telkom is looking to rebuild its partnership with US-based AT&T in a move that signals a change... 2010-09-01


United Arab Emirates

The acquisition of US electric car producer Phoenix Motorcars by Dubai-based conglomerate Al Yousuf Group, has opened up the possibility of not just domestic vehicle production in the... 2010-07-28


Qatar Telecom (Qtel) is looking for acquisitions in the Middle East and Asia in a bid to expand its footprint in these regions. The company's chief executive, Nasser Marafih, has highlighted... 2010-07-14


The big players in Middle East telecoms will apparently see more consolidation on the way, according to a report on ITP.net. At the Arab Advisors Convergence Conference, key personnel... 2010-06-23

Private Equity/LBO Analysis

Further emphasising growing interest in the Sub-Saharan African consumer play, UK based asset management firm Silk Invest has setup a private equity fund worth EUR100mn targeting... 2010-04-20


To say that 2009 was not a good year for private equity (PE) fundraising and investment in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is an understatement. In particular, according to... 2010-03-23


To say that Sub-Saharan Africa has not weathered well the private equity storm of 2009 is an understatement. According to the 2009 Emerging Market Private Equity Association report,... 2010-03-09


Anyone looking for evidence that the crisis creates opportunities just has to take a look at Africa. Before the crisis, it was viewed as the continent which had been bypassed by globalisation.... 2009-09-02

SWF Analysis

United Arab Emirates

Sovereign-linked UAE funds are continuing to target foreign assets in a bid to diversify their portfolio and reduce their reliance upon oil. This year Aabar Investments, which is... 2009-11-18


Libya

While many Gulf sovereign wealth funds have had their fingers burned by the credit crunch and the global financial crisis, Libya is looking to take advantage of the opportunities... 2009-03-29


United Arab Emirates

The government of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates has sent a letter outlining the investment principles of its sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) to the US Treasury Department, as... 2008-03-19