Category Archives: M&A

Unga Seaboard Deal Details

EDIT July 27: Seaboard announced they are waiving the minimum acceptance threshold and will proceed to complete the acquisition of shares for which acceptances had been received  and those shareholders will be paid Kshs 40 per share in cash. Seaboard still intends to seek a de-listing of Unga from the NSE and will convene an extraordinary general meeting “in due course”.

EDIT July 20: Official results of the offer, saw Seaboard increase its shareholding from 2.92% to 18.97%, and combined with the 50.93% of Victus, they now control 69.9% of Unga’s shareholding. Other shareholders own 30.1% but 8.16% of them did not respond to the offer and Seaboard who had a target to attain 75% in order to push for a de-listing of Unga from the Nairobi Securities Exchange will make further announcements.

EDIT June 14: Seaboard Corporation has received regulatory approval from the Capital Markets Authority (CMA) to extend its offer to buy the minority shares in Unga Plc by another 10 days.. to 5.00pm, Thursday 28th June. “During the offer period, Seaboard received numerous queries from Unga Plc shareholders with requests for resubmission of the offer documents that were originally dispatched to them via post by the Registrars. This is primarily attributed to the change in postal addresses and/or relocation of shareholders whose new details are not updated with the Central Depository and Settlement Corporation”.

May 30: Today sees the start of an offer period by Seaboard Corporation, acting in conjunction with Victus Limited, to buy out other shareholders of Unga Group PLC and to de-list the company from the Nairobi Securities Exchange.

From reading the various offer documents relating to the Seaboard proposal that includes the public notice, circular to Unga  UGL) shareholders, offer terms, and a public FAQ…

  • Seaboard: The company which states it is on the Fortune 500 list, was incorporated in 1908,  and is registered in Delaware and headquartered in Kansas. It had $5.8 billion revenue and $427 million profit in 2017 and is involved in marine, pork, commodity trading and milling (where Unga is), sugar and power industries. Seaboard owns 2.92% of Unga and also 35% of Unga Holdings, a subsidiary of Unga (who own the other 65%) and which comprises the flour milling and animal feed operations of Unga. Seaboard is joined in the Unga buyout deal by Victus which owns 50.93% of Unga shares.
  • Delisting:  the memorandum notes that: “It is Seaboard’s intention that UGL retains its position as the preferred our producer in Kenya… ( but that ) as a publicly listed entity, UGL is disadvantaged because this status requires public disclosure of otherwise confidential business information relating to its business strategies … (also that) in addition, the present public structure makes it difficult to attract additional strategic investors.”

  • Offer Price: Over the last year, Unga’s shares have traded at between Kshs 30 and Kshs 32 and they briefly rose to Kshs 60 after the offer was announced in February but are now settled at ~Kshs 42 per share. Contained in the documents to shareholders, CBA Capital confirms that Seaboard has enough funds at Citi (bank) to complete the offer and to pay all shareholders in full at the offered price – which will amount to a cash payment of Kshs 1.4 billion (~ $14 million). Payments will be by M-pesa, cheque, or bank RTGS/EFT (for amounts over Kshs 1 million). 
  • From publicly listed to privately held:  Their target is to get 90% acceptance, but if they get 75% they may push on with the plan toward delisting, as they caution that any shareholders who hold out and don’t sell their shares, may find it harder to trade them in future. The offer to Unga shareholders opens 30 May and runs through to 13 June, after which the shares will be suspended till the end of June, ahead of a results announcement on July 2.
  • Firm Price? They have reached out to other large shareholders in Unga who own about 15% of the company shares. June 6 is the final day for Seaboard to vary the offer and if they do so all shareholders will benefit from the new price. But already there is a report that they have ruled out increasing their bid, saying they will be no change to the offered price unless a competing bid arises. Of note is that one of the large investors at Unga is a company which emerged to mount one of the competing bids at Rea Vipingo that resulted in the initial buyout promoter raising their eventual payment to Vipingo shareholders.
  • Board recommendation: The offer documents value the shares using the income approach at Kshs 39.82 per share, at  Kshs 39.01 using the market approach and at Kshs 62.04 using the asset approach. Seaboard is offering Kshs 40 and the members of the Unga board not linked with the promoters (3 of the 8 directors recused themselves) have recommended that Unga shareholders accept this price which is based on independence advice from Faida Investment Bank.
  • Transaction Advisors: Besides CBA Capital which are the fiscal advisors and sponsoring stockbrokers, CBA is the paying bank, while other local firms in the Seaboard deal are Kaplan & Stratton (legal advisors), Oxygene for public relations and CRS are still the share registrars. The promoters hope to conclude the deal by September 30.

Vivo Energy – London IPO prospectus peek

Last week Vivo Energy had the largest African listing at the London Stock Exchange since 2005 and the largest London IPO so far in 2018. Vivo  raised £548 million by selling 27.7% of the company at 165 pence per share, which valued Vivo at £1.98 billion.

The company which operates fuel businesses in 15 Africa countries, will have a secondary listing in Johannesburg while it will report primarily to the London exchange.

A peek at the 288-page prospectus

Performance: In 2017 revenue increased by 16% to $6.6 billion and earnings before taxes were $210 million, a 21% increase. Revenue was 66% from retail (Shell fuel stations, convenience stores, restaurants) and 29% from commercial business (large customers, LPG), with the rest from lubricants business.

Vivo has Subsidiaries: in Madagascar, Tunisia, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, Uganda, Kenya Ghana, Mali Mauritius, Morocco, Cape Verde) and a 50% investment in Shell & Vitol Lubricants. All these companies are registered in Netherlands or Mauritius. Prices are regulated in 12 of the 15 countries that they operate in, including Kenya.

Engen: The company is in the process of buying Engen for $399 million, and this will comprise a payment of $121 million in cash and 123 million new shares of Vivo, after which it is expected that Engen will own 9.3% of the company. The Engen deal which is expected to be completed later in 2018, adds 300 stations and brings on 9 new countries to the group.

Johannesburg: Another 10% of Vivo is being availed to get the company listed in South Africa. The listing at Johannesburg will cost $16.3 million which includes payments for legal advice $4M (Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer), $2.6M to the reporting auditors & accountants (PWC), other legal advisor fees of $1.5M and $142,000 to Bowman, JSE fees for listing and document inspection of $180,000, and $7.1 million in other expenses in South Africa.

Taxes: Sale of shares in the UK will attract a stamp tax duty of 0.5% of the offer price, while a tax of 0.25% is payable on every sale in South Africa.

Managers & Employees: There is an extensive listing in the prospectus on Vivo’s key managers and directors, their roles, compensation and other benefits. For directors, it lists current and past directorships e.g. Temitope Lawani, the co-founder and Managing Partner of Helios Investment Partners, has 47 current directorships. A top Kenyan official is David Mureithi, the Executive Vice President for Retail, Marketing, and East & Southern Africa.

Vivo has a long-term incentive plan for executives and senior directors and also an IPO share plan for employees. They have a total of 2,349 employees, with 240 in Kenya, which is third in employ size behind Morocco (579) and Tunisia (270).

In Kenya: they had sales of $1.3 billion in 2017 up from $1 billion in 2016. They have 189 stations in the country (56% of which are in Nairobi) and are the number one in the country (due to the strong Shell brand) with a 27% market share. They also supply jet fuel at four airports and sell lubricants. And while employees of Engen have just filed objections to the deal in Kenya, going by past transactions, Kenya’s Competition Authority will approve a deal as long as there is no severe loss of jobs.

Shareholders: Prior to the listing were Vitol Africa B.V. 41.6%, VIP Africa II B.V. 13.3%, (Helios) HIP Oil B.V. 2.4% and HIP Oil 2 B.V. 41.8%. After the deal, with a full subscription, it is expected that Vitol goes to 28.9%, VIP to 9.2% and HIP 2 to 30%.

Litigation: A government ministry in DRC has tried to put a hold on the sale of the Engen subsidiary in DRC (in which the government owns 40%), but Vivo believe the case has no basis and are contenting this.

Scangroup and Russell in Kshs 926M Mauritius Share Swap Deal

WPP Scangroup and its subsidiary Russell Square Holdings (Russell) and have entered an agreement for the purchase of Russell’s 3,660 shares in Research &  Marketing Group – a market research firm in Mauritius, that is owned by Russell. The shares represent 70% of the shares of the target firm and payment will be by way of 53.29 million shares of Scangroup which Russell Square Holdings (Russell BV) has subscribed for. 

It’s been a decade since the WPP deal to buy Scangroup and the new deal with Russell is meant to improve on client services at one of the largest marketing and communication groups in Sub-Saharan Africa.

WPP owns 50.1% of Scangroup, and after the share deal valued at Kshs 926 million (~$9.26 million), will own 56.25% of the company. Scangroup shareholders must approve the deal and WPP will also seek an exemption from being required to make a formal takeover offer as their increased equity position is the result of the strategic investment in Mauritius restructuring  their balance sheet. They also intend for the shares of Scangroup to remain listed at the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE).

Scangroup reported revenue of Kshs 4.1 billion (from billings of Kshs 14.1 billion) compared to 2016’s revenue of Kshs 4.8 billion (from billings of Kshs 16.3 billion) and a pre-tax profit of Kshs 696 million (compared to Kshs 725 million in 2016). The decline was attributed to the economic crunch and prolonged electioneering period in Kenya. Revenue from outside Kenya also declined due to cutbacks by clients, while digital and public relations were bright spots,  providing the greatest growth for Scangroup in 2017.

WPP Scangroup was trading at Kshs 16.95 per share on the NSE today and the deal comes a few years after the group also bought into Ogilvy across Africa. Scangroup has a Mauritius company that is the holding company for other subsidiaries incorporated outside Kenya including STE Scanad DRC, Scanad Burundi SPRL, Scanad Rwanda, JWT Uganda, Scangroup (Malawi),  Scangroup (Zambia), and Scangroup Mozambique.

$1 = Kshs 100

Makini Schools Sold

Edit: September 4, 2018: A 71% interest in Makini School Limited (via Schole Mauritius Limited) was acquired on 1 May 2018 for a consideration of R130.8 million (about Sh930 million), disclosed Advtech in a trading update last week. (Read more in the Business Daily.)

EDIT April 17 2018:  One of South Africa’s leading private schools  will soon open its doors in burgeoning Tatu City. Crawford Kenya International College is the brainchild of JSE-listed ADvTECH, Africa’s largest private education provider which recently acquired the Makini group of schools. Set to open in September 2018, and with a capacity for 1700 students, Crawford Kenya will teach the UK/Cambridge Curriculum in modern, trendy facilities – which include a multifunctional indoor sports centre, a swimming pool, outdoor sports fields and tennis and basketball courts. Additionally, it will also provide high school boarding facilities.

Original April 3, 2018:  It’s now official: The Okelo family, the owners, and founders of the Makini group of schools, have agreed to sell the company to an international education partnership consisting of two pan-African educational institutions – ADvTECH Ltd (which is listed on the JSE in South Africa) and Scholé Ltd.

The Makini group was founded, fourty years ago, in 1978 by Dr. Mary Okelo, and her late husband Dr. Pius Okelo, who passed away in a road accident in 2004.

Makini has 8 schools on 4 campuses in Nairobi and Kisumu and 3,200 students in nursery, primary and secondary schools (from Kindergarten to Grade 12). The consortium that is acquiring all the shares in Makini has committed to enhancing the quality of education at Makini, and that the schools will continue teaching the Kenyan educational curriculum.

ADvTECH runs 117 educational sites in Southern Africa and Scholé operates schools in Zambia and Uganda – and Kisubi High School, a boarding school in Kampala with 900 students, will become part of the partnership. 

See other recent M&A deals 

M&A Moment: March 2018

Various merger/acquisition (M&A) deals in the last few weeks and months in East Africa since the last update.

Banking and Finance: Finance, Law, & Insurance M&A

Centum Investments is selling its shareholding in GenAfrica Asset Managers to Kuramo Capital LLC, an independent investment management firm based in New York City with offices in Nairobi and Lagos, and registered as an investment advisor by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).

Centum sold 25% of Platcorp Holdings to  Suzerian Investments a consortium of the Platcorp management team (platinum credit and premier credit) which provides emergency loans to individuals in  Kenya Uganda Tanzania while Premier offers working capital loans to companies – at a 31% return.

AfricInvest, a leading pan-African mid-cap-focused private equity firm invested in Britam Holdings Plc (Britam),  taking up a 14.3% stake. The investment was made in partnership with DEG-Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH (DEG), The Dutch Development Bank FMO, and Proparco, a subsidiary of Agence Française de Développement (AFD), focused on private sector development.

Hamilton Harrison & Mathews Advocates (HH&M), one of Kenya’s oldest and largest law firm has agreed to combine with Dentons, the world’s largest law firm. Upon regulatory approval, HH&M will become part of Dentons, which is combining with seven elite firms in Africa, the Caribbean and South-East Asia.

The Competition Authority of Kenya has authorized the proposed acquisition of control in AON Kenya Insurance Brokers by Extologix Proprietary through Heartland Holdings.

BitPesa, the first and largest blockchain payments platform for Africa and Europe, announced their acquisition of TransferZero, an international, online money transfer platform that specializes in sending money to consumers and companies in 200 countries using over 50 different currencies.

Mastercard has completed its acquisition of mobile payments technology company Oltio from Standard Bank Group. The acquisition builds on Mastercard’s longstanding relationship with Oltio’s technology enables consumers to authenticate Masterpass digital wallet purchases in South Africa using their bank PIN and mobile phone.

DEG – Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH, is investing EUR 4 million in M-BIRR, a cashless money transfer and payment service in Ethiopia to improved access to banking services in Ethiopia on a wide scale. Other investors include the European Investment Bank (EIB). The Finnish development finance company Finnfund has been a shareholder in M-BIRR since as early as 2012 which is inspired by the success story of the Kenyan provider M-PESA.

The Competition Authority authorized the proposed acquisition of 100% of the issued share capital of Youjay’s Insurance Brokers by I & M Insurance Agency.  I&M Bank, through its subsidiary, I&M Insurance Agency, has completed the acquisition of Youjays Insurance Brokers. Founded in 1987, Youjays deals in life and non-life products and has 400 customers and has an insurance premium portfolio of Kshs 400 million.

Customers of Chase Bank were given an update by the Central Bank (CBK) and the Kenya Deposit Insurance Corporation (KDIC) on the ongoing takeover of selected assets and liabilities of their  bank by State Bank of Mauritius (SBM).

Food & Beverage M&A

A South-African based private equity fund has invested Sh404 million ($4 million) to acquire an undisclosed stake in Kenyan fast food chain Big Square. Uqalo says its investment will expand its footprint from the current nine stores to 30 over the next four years. Uqalo, which targets investments located in Kenya, Ethiopia and Nigeria, is primarily funded by Hong Kong-based supply chain and logistics conglomerate Fung Group and its strategy is to acquire minority stakes by investing between Sh202m and Sh506m ($2m and $5m) in “mature businesses” through equity or convertible debt (via Business Daily).

The Competition Authority approved the proposed acquisition of 100% shareholding in Nairobi Java House Ltd by Star Foods Holdings.

Wow Beverages has made an application to enter into exclusive import arrangements with specified international and local manufacturers and suppliers of ‘premium’ wines and spirits in Kenya – from Gallo Vineyards Inc. trading as E&J Gallow Winery Europe, Vina San Pedro Tarapasca S.A, Felix Solis Avantis S.A, Afrique Interlink (PTY), Interlink (PTY) Limited, Edrington Group Limited and Tradall S.A (Bacardi-Martini Group).

Seaboard has made a low offer to buy out other minority shareholders of Unga.

The Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) Chebut factory is set to take over management of 260 acres of mature tea owned by the Nandi county government after the conclusion of ongoing negotiations.

Kenyan billionaire David Langat has acquired one of the largest tea farms in Tanzania in a deal that puts his company as one of the single largest tea producers in East Africa. Langat is thought to have paid a British firm, Rift Valley Corporation, close to Sh6 billion ($60 million) for a controlling stake, 99 per cent, in Mufindi Tea and Coffee Limited, Rift Valley Tea Solutions Limited and Kibena Tea Limited. The businessman owns Koisagat Tea Estate in Nandi and Kapchepet tea factory that processes CTC tea for export under his company D L Koisagat. He also runs Selenkei Investments Ltd, a company that generates electricity from solar energy plus the imposing Nyali Centre in Mombasa County as well as the Sunrise Resort in the same county.

Carnivore owner Tamarind acquires Kengeles: The Competition Authority has approved the deal with a notice that “The merger will not affect competition negatively; and the combined turnover of the parties for the preceding year, 2016, was Sh1,224,757,242. However, the target had a turnover of Sh94,067,983, which is less than Sh100 million, and therefore, the transaction meets the threshold for exclusion under the Merger Threshold Guidelines” (via the Business Daily).

Logistics, Engineering, & Agri-Biz M&A

Ascent Rift Valley Fund (ARVF), a leading SME Private Equity Fund investor will acquire a majority stake in Auto Springs East Africa, a Limuru-based factory that produces a wide range of products for the motor assembly and vehicle spare parts industry. It will be done in a partnership deal with SFC Finance.

Sendy, an app-based on-demand delivery services platform operating across Kenya, has completed a Series A investment round, led by DOB Equity. DOB Equity will invest alongside CFAO, member of the Toyota Group, and other private investors. DOB Equity says that the new funds will enable Sendy to increase their platforms’ service offering. This includes adding more delivery vehicles to their platform, increasing their coverage area, expanding the sales and technology team, and preparing for future expansion into neighboring countries in East Africa.

The owners of flower farm Karuturi Limited have secured an investor to inject fund into their business as they fight to save their priced asset from being auctioned by CfC Stanbic over Sh1.8 billion loan default. The firm in a statement said that it has reached an agreement with Phoenix Group for a ‘blend of debt and equity’ which will help it to meet its current debt obligations and restart its operations (Via Business Daily)

Ethiopia acquires 19% in Berbera Port becoming a strategic shareholder; UAE’s DP World has 51% while Somaliland gets 30% following the agreement being signed.

Trading on Express Kenya shares has resumed at the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) after a three-month suspension following a takeover bid by the firm’s CEO Hector Diniz. Diniz Holdings, an investment firm, has bid to acquire the 38.36% stake held by other shareholders other than its affiliates for Sh5.50 a share. (Via Business Daily).

The Competition Authority authorized the proposed acquisition of the entire issued share capital of Trillvane Ltd by Kuehne+ Nagel limited.

The Competition Authority authorized the proposed acquisition of Carzan Flowers (Kenya) limited by Star Bright Holdings.

The Competition Authority authorized the proposed acquisition by Diamond (bc) b.v. of the Diversey Care division of Sealed Air Corporation (“sealed air”) and of Sealed Air’s food hygiene and cleaning business within its food care division.

The Competition Authority authorizes the proposed acquisition of 51% shareholding in Mavuno Fertilizers Limited by Omya (Schweiz) Ag.

Trans Miller Limited carrying on the business of food processing, packaging and distribution and other related agri-business activities, situate at L.R. No. 4953/1185, Thika, have been sold and transferred by the transferor to Tahuna Limited, who will carry on the said business of manufacturing under the name and style of Tahuna Limited.

Funguo Investments Limited has acquired a majority – 51% stake in Feastfoods Processors Limited, a food processing company that has been set up to manufacture fruit juice puree and concentrates in Kwale County (via Business Today)

The Competition Authority of Kenya excludes the proposed acquisition of 51% of the issued share capital of Ess Equipment Kenya Limited by Vronbisman Limited from the provisions of Part IV of the Act due to the following reasons as the acquirer does not operate in Kenya and the target’s turnover for the preceding year 2017 was KSh. 79,314,330 and therefore, meets the threshold for exclusion under the merger threshold guidelines.

Airline/ Oil/Energy/Mining M&A

Kenya Airways PLC, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (KLM) and Societe Air France S.A (Air France) have made an application under section 25 (1) of the Act for the exemption of their proposed Agreement of Accession and Amendment to Joint Venture Agreement (proposed Amended JV) from the provisions of section• A of Part III of the Act. The application for exemption is for an indefinite period (as long as the amended N Agreement remains in force).1. The proposed Amended N agreement provides as follows —(a) the inclusion of Air France as a party to the Joint Venture Agreement (original JV agreement) between Kenya Airways and KU* and(b) that all references to KLM in the original JV be construed as a reference to both KLM and Air France.

There has been an ownership change at Safarilink as ALS Limited, one of the shareholders of the firm, sold its entire to Bridges Limited, a Ramco Group affiliate, and an existing shareholder. As a result of this private transaction, Captain Aslam Khan of ALS relinquished his position of chairman with Safarilink’s owners settling on Mr. Ngunze to steer the airline’s board (via Business Daily)

Ethiopian Airlines, the largest Aviation Group in Africa announced that it has finalized shareholders agreement with the Government of Zambia for the re-launch of Zambia Airways. The Government of Zambia will be the majority shareholder with 55% and Ethiopian will have 45% stakes in the airline – and this comes after another consolidation at Ethiopian.

Base Resources announced that it reached an agreement with World Titane Holdings whereby Base Resources will acquire an initial 85% interest in the wholly owned Mauritian subsidiaries of World Titane, which between them hold a 100% interest in the Toliara Sands Project in Madagascar. Base Resources will acquire the remaining 15% interest, with a further US$17 million payable on achievement of key milestones, as the project advances to mine development. The acquisition is to be funded by the A$100 million share offer currently underway, refer below for further details. Completion of the acquisition is expected to occur in late January 2018.

Investec Asset Management through its Africa Private Equity increased its investment in Mobisol with consortium partners the IFC and FMO. Mobisol, headquartered in Berlin deals with the energy demand from off-grid households and has operations in Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda where it has sold 110,000 systems benefiting over 550,000 people.

Following Total SA’s commitment, the Government has consented to a proposed acquisition of the issued and to-be issued share capital of Maersk Oil Exploration International (Mogas Kenya) in respect of Blocks 10BA, 10BB and 13T. Earlier, Total had acquired Maersk Oil for $7.45 billion in a share and debt transaction.

Africa Finance Corporation and Harith General Partners (Aldwych Holdings) have merged their electricity generation assets into a new company – Anergi Holdings (includes Lake Turkana Wind Farm and Rabai Heavy Fuel plant in Kenya.

The Competition Authority approved the proposed acquisition of indirect control of Savannah Cement by Benson Sande Ndeta. 

The Competition Authority approved the proposed acquisition of Associated Vehicle Assemblers by Simba corporation. 

Real Estate & Supermarkets M&A

Actis has agreed to sell its 79.5% majority stake in Mentor Management Limited a Kenyan project management company, to Turner & Townsend, a global construction and management consultant. The management team of MML will retain its minority stake. Actis acquired a controlling stake in MML in 2011 (Via Business Daily).

Mr. Price franchised business carried on by Deacons (East Africa) PLC will be transferred on or after 1st April 2018 to MIRP Retail Kenya Limited  which will carry on the business.

Nakumatt Holdings and Tusker Mattresses have made an application under section 25 of the Act for the exemption of their proposed management services and loan Agreement for a period of three years.1. The terms of the agreement are that: Tuskys shall provide management services to Nakumatt including procurement and inventory management; Tuskys shall advance a loan to Nakumatt to provide it with emergency funding which shall be used to pay some of the outstanding amounts to employees and landlords; Tuskys shall provide recurring payment guarantees to the suppliers of the target to ensure the suppliers supply stocks to the following Nakumatt’s outlets: Village Market, Galleria, Ukay Center, Lavington, Prestige, Mega, Highridge, Karen Crossoads, Ridgeways, Lifestyle, Embakasi, Garden City.

After 40 years, Makini Schools are being old to Schole Ltd, who will acquire all shares of Makini, and who will work with ADvTECH to enhance the quality of education as Makini continues with the Kenyan curriculum.

Telecommunications, Media & Publishing M&A

Kwesé has acquired a significant stake in iflix Africa, which will now form part of Kwesé’s diverse broadcast offering, as the core vehicle to deliver seamless mobile experiences to millions of viewers in Africa. Having set up operations in Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana and South Africa, iflix offers users the region’s most extensive collection of highly acclaimed local African and international series and movies, including first-to-market exclusive programming. This, in partnership with Kwesé’s broadcast operations and footprint, will create an exceptional mobile offering for consumers on the continent.

TPG Growth, the middle market and growth equity investment platform of global alternative asset firm TPG, announced today that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire a majority stake in TRACE, the market leader in afro-urban music and entertainment. The remaining stake will be owned by TRACE’s co-founder and management team. TPG Growth will invest alongside Evolution Media and Satya Capital. As part of the transaction, MTG, a leading international digital entertainment group that invested in TRACE in 2014, will sell its stake in the company.

International Paper and Board Supplies carrying on the business of trading in printing and packaging materials and consumables at L.R. No. 209/11066, will transfer all its business, stocks and assets to The Print Store who intends to carry on the business from the aforesaid premises.

The Competition Authority authorizes the proposed acquisition of the entire issued share capital of Alldean Networks limited, Simbanet com limited and Wananchi telecom limited by Synergy.

Pressmaster carrying on the business of trading in printing and packaging materials and consumables at L.R. No. 209/12156, will transfer all its business, stocks and assets to Pressmaster Africa Ltd.

The Competition Authority authorized the proposed acquisition of the assets and business of International Paper and Board Supplies Limited by the Print Stores Limited, on condition that the acquirer absorbs not less than 45 out of the current 78 employees in the target business.

The Competition Authority authorizes the proposed acquisition of the entire issued share capital of Pressmaster Africa Limited by Ramco Plexus.

Edit From Tanzania where businessman Ali Mufuruki is seeking to increase his stake in Wananchi Group,  incorporated in Tanzania from 1% to 51% by acquiring 50% of the company, according to this notice (PDF) to Tanzania’s Fair Competition Commission.

Edit American Tower Corporation (ATC) has reached an agreement to acquire 723 telecommunication towers held by Telkom Kenya for an undisclosed amount. The deal, which is expected to be completed in the first half of 2018, will give the multinational a presence in the country, nearly a decade after making its maiden foray into East Africa through similar acquisitions in neighbouring Uganda and Tanzania. Read more

Other M&A

The Competition Authority authorized the proposed acquisition of 40% of the ordinary shares in AAH (BVI) limited by Oman Trading International with certain veto rights.