Nina Triantis, TMT Standard Bank Global Head, is predicting continuing deal flow and increasing investment in Africa’s flourishing telecom, media and technology sector in 2018, against a backdrop of improving economic growth and increasingly stable currency outlook across key markets such as Nigeria.
Triantis says there were investment and financing opportunities for the right companies in Africa, with disruption, innovation and consolidation likely to be the major deal drivers in the sector over the year ahead.
“Investment and mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in TMT is still especially active in Africa, despite some various economic challenges still facing select countries. Investment in technology is driving applications and innovation across the continent and across sectors,” says Triantis.
“While economic and currency issues have dampened investor appetite in countries such as Nigeria over the past 12-24 months, conditions are now improving and stabilising, according to Triantis, which is leading to an increasing appetite from investors looking at the region,” she adds.
“Telecom operators are consolidating and the race to provide new broadband and wireless infrastructure is intensifying, which is resulting in increased need for capital and a lively deal flow,” Triantis commented. “The debt and equity markets are both supportive for the right companies, and we expect to see several IPOs and M&A transactions in 2018,” concludes Triantis.
