Audio By Carbonatix
Dangote Cement Plc, owned by Africa’s richest man, has revived plans for a share sale in London that could raise about $1 billion, according to people familiar with the matter.
The Nigerian company, controlled by Aliko Dangote, has approached investment bankers to discuss a potential U.K. listing, said the people, who asked not to be named as the talks aren’t public.
Once banks have been appointed, it will probably take at least five months to complete the process, one of the people said. The cement maker is also considering issuing a debut Eurobond, according to two different people familiar with the matter.
Discussions are ongoing and a listing of Africa’s biggest cement maker may not go ahead, the people said.
“We have not, to the best of my knowledge, taken such a decision,” Anthony Chiejina, Dangote Cement’s spokesman in Lagos, said in an emailed response to questions, without commenting on the banker talks.
Fresh capital would enable Dangote Cement to fund expansion plans in sub-Saharan Africa and comply with a demand from the Lagos bourse that listed companies should have a free float of at least 20 percent, regardless of where the shares are traded.
The company sees London as a more favorable place to attract about $1 billion than in its home base of Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital, where no company has raised more than Starcomms Plc’s $796 million in 2008.
Dangote Cement, which has a Lagos free float of 8.9 percent and a market valuation of $12.2 billion, mulled raising equity in London in 2010. At the time, Goldman Sachs Group Inc., JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Morgan Stanley helped it prepare a sale that could have raised as much as $5 billion, before the move was abandoned.
The revival of the plan comes as Dangote Cement shares climb to near records as the Nigerian economy recovers from a downturn caused by the 2014 slump in oil prices.
The economy of Africa’s most populous nation went into recession in 2016 as government revenue plunged. Nigerian stocks are up 11 percent this year in dollar terms, the sixth best performance globally according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
Aliko Dangote has a net worth of $13.5 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. His Dangote Industries Ltd. conglomerate has interests in sugar, flour and packaged food as well as controlling the cement company.
The 60-year-old has repeatedly expressed a desire to bid for London’s Arsenal Football Club and is building a 650,000 barrel-a-day oil refinery near Lagos, which will cost more than $10 billion.
Latest Stories
-
Attendance at trial is a constitutional duty, not an option
5 minutes -
RTI response raises questions over Bryan Acheampong’s military service claims
12 minutes -
Two women granted bail over assault of 12-year-old; another remanded
15 minutes -
Ghana’s IMF programme extension to August 2026 was to allow more time for final review work – IMF
45 minutes -
No records of Bryan Acheampong’s enlistment and release from the US Army – Parliament says in RTI response
49 minutes -
Daasebre Osei Bonsu III swears oath of allegiance to Asantehene and pledges unity and development for Asante Mampong
1 hour -
We had fruitful deliberations with private transport operators – Transport Minister
1 hour -
45-year-old farmer jailed 15 years for sexually abusing 14-year-old niece
1 hour -
Lawrence Ofori joins Casa Pia after mutually parting ways with Moreirense
1 hour -
Brazil have talent for World Cup, but victory not guaranteed – ESPN’s Bertozzi
2 hours -
NPP race: Don’t waste your vote, Bawumia is winning – Annoh-Dompreh to NPP delegates
2 hours -
NDC still brought Mahama even when he lost by over one million votes – Annoh-Dompreh to NPP
2 hours -
Ofori-Atta becoming a ‘brave coward’ – Franklin Cudjoe backs Arise Ghana protest
2 hours -
Trump links Greenland threat to Nobel Peace Prize snub, EU prepares to retaliate
2 hours -
More than 160 churchgoers kidnapped in twin Nigeria attacks – Clergy
2 hours
