News
M&A Transactions in Sub Saharan African Hit $5.7Bn in Q12015

Thomson Reuters, the world’s leading source of intelligent information for businesses and professionals, has released the quarterly investment banking analysis for the Sub Saharan Africa region.
According to estimates from Thomson Reuters / Freeman Consulting, fees for Investment Banking services in Sub Saharan Africa totalled $83.4 million during the first quarter of 2015, up 49% compared to the same period in 2014 ($55.9 mil), driven by increases across equity, debt and syndicated lending fees.
Sneha Shah, Managing Director, Africa, Thomson Reuters, said: “The value of announced M&A transactions involving Sub Saharan African targets reached $5.7 billion during the first quarter of 2015, almost double the value recorded during the same period in 2014 ($2.9 bln), despite falling 65% from the previous quarter. The most targeted nation by value was South Africa, accounting for 48% of activity, followed by Nigeria (33%). South Africa was also the most active buyer in the region, while Canada was the most active foreign buyer.”
“Equity and equity-linked issuance in Sub Saharan Africa totalled $2.5 billion during the first quarter of 2015, an increase of 141% from the value recorded during the same period in 2014 ($1.0 billion) and the highest first quarter total since 2007. Sub Saharan African debt issuance reached US$4.1 billion during the first quarter of 2015, 70% more than the value recorded during the same period in 2014, and the highest first quarter total in the region since 2011,” she added.
In respect to investment banking, fees from equity capital markets underwriting increased 46% year-on year to reach $30.3 million, marking the highest first quarter total in the region since 2011.
Syndicated lending fees also increased from the first quarter of 2014, growing 122% to $10.4 million, while debt capital markets underwriting fees increased twelve-fold to $25.6 million.
Fees from advisory on completed M&A transactions fell 39% to $17.2 million, marking the slowest first quarter total since 2005.
Rand Merchant Bank topped the Sub Saharan African fee league table during the first quarter of 2015 with a 9% cut of the fees. Citi and Deutsche Bank followed in second and third positions, respectively.
As for M&A activity during the first quarter of 2015, Eroton Exploration & Production Co Ltd acquired a 45% stake in the Oil Mining Lease 18 (OML 18) of the Nigerian state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Corp for $1.1 billion in March.
The deal was the largest in the region during the first quarter of 2015. Boosted by this deal, Energy & Power was the most active sector during the first quarter of 2015, accounting for 29% of M&A activity.
Rand Merchant Bank topped the 1Q 2015 announced any Sub Saharan African involvement M&A ranking, with $1.4 billion, while Investec topped the Sub Saharan African target M&A ranking.
Equity capital markets was also active during the first three months of 2015, follow-on offerings dominated the market, with the largest from South African Aspen Pharmacare Holdings in March. 69% of deals, by proceeds raised, involved a South African issuer.
The Healthcare, Financial, and Energy & Power sectors were the most active for equity issuance in the region during the first quarter of 2015. UBS and Citi shared the top spot in the Sub Saharan African Equity Capital Markets league table during the first quarter of 2015.
Debt capital markets in Sub Saharan Africa recorded the highest first quarter total in the region since 2011. South African Eskom issued the largest bond in the region so far this year. The state-run utility sold $1.2 billion in 10-year fixed-rate bonds in February.
Deutsche Bank took the top spot in the Sub Saharan African Debt ranking during the first quarter of 2015 with US$1.0 billion, or a 26% share. Rand Merchant Bank and Standard Bank Group followed in second and third positions.
News
Dangote Refinery Debunks Speculations on IPO

Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals (DPRP) has debunked recent circulation of unauthorised information regarding a potential Initial Public Offering (IPO).

In a statement, DPRP noted that several online platforms and unofficial sources have published unverified, and in some instances inaccurate, information relating to a potential offering.
“Such reports do not originate from DPRP and should be treated with caution. All official updates regarding any potential transaction will be communicated strictly through DPRP’s formal public disclosures and announcements issued by its appointed advisers, in line with applicable laws and regulatory requirements.
“Accordingly, the public, investors, and all market participants are strongly advised to disregard speculative commentary and rely solely on verified information formally issued by DPRP or its authorised representatives,” the statement said.
The firm assured stakeholders that, when appropriate, comprehensive, and accurate details regarding any proposed transaction will be made available through official channels, including regulatory filings, authorised press releases, and coordinated communications by the Enterprise and its appointed advisers.
News
Descasio Launches “Give to Gain” Leadership Insights Report, Hosts Executive Brunch for Women in Leadership

In celebration of International Women’s Day, Descasio hosted an intimate executive brunch bringing together distinguished women leaders from its customer community for a thoughtful conversation on leadership, partnership, and shared growth.

Centered around the 2026 International Women’s Day theme, “Give to Gain,” the gathering created space for accomplished women in enterprise leadership to reflect on mentorship, collaboration, and investing in people as key drivers of sustainable growth.
Held in Lagos, the event convened leaders from organizations including Honeywell Group Limited, Finchglow Travels, NGCOM, and Eroton Exploration & Production Company.
Guests were personally welcomed at the start of the gathering by Mr. Dele Nedd, CEO of Descasio; who greeted each of the women leaders and expressed his appreciation for their presence before leaving the session to allow the women lead the conversation among themselves.
The gesture reflected Descasio’s leadership culture; one where women are not only recognized, but actively supported and empowered. It also underscored the company’s belief that meaningful progress in leadership requires partnership and allyship across the organization.
Rather than a traditional panel discussion, the brunch was designed as a candid and reflective exchange among peers navigating leadership in complex industries. Throughout the conversation, participants shared perspectives shaped by experience, responsibility, and the realities of leading teams and organizations.
A recurring theme in the discussion was the role of execution and accountability in leadership. For many organizations, strategy alone is not enough; consistent delivery is what ultimately builds credibility and trust.
Reflecting on this, Josephine Adebola, Data Compliance & Process Automation Manager at Finchglow Travels, emphasized the importance of reliability in leadership and the discipline required to translate vision into results. “Get it done on time and in full.”
The conversation also explored the role of curiosity and continuous learning in shaping effective leaders. In rapidly evolving industries, the ability to ask questions, remain open to new perspectives, and keep learning is often what enables leaders to grow alongside their organizations.
Sharing her perspective, Tomi Otudeko, Chief Operating Officer at Honeywell Group Limited, reflected on how curiosity has shaped her leadership journey.
“Asking questions and continuously learning have always stood me in good stead as a leader.”
She also spoke about the importance of leading with empathy and understanding the people behind the roles within organizations.
“Everyone has multiple dimensions to who they are. Leadership has taught me to see people in their totality. That awareness doesn’t make a leader weak; it makes them more effective.”
Another important theme that emerged from the conversation was authenticity in leadership. In an environment where leaders often face pressure to conform to traditional expectations, remaining true to one’s identity while continuing to evolve is essential.
For Helen James-Eziashi, General Manager at NGCOM, authenticity and curiosity remain key guiding principles. “Be yourself, keep learning, and stay curious.”
The discussion also highlighted the role of self-awareness in sustaining leadership journeys, particularly in complex and high-responsibility environments. Understanding one’s values, motivations, and support systems often becomes the anchor that allows leaders to navigate uncertainty with confidence.
Reflecting on this, Ifeanyi Onyejekwe, IT Manager at Eroton, emphasized the importance of knowing what grounds a leader.
“Know who you are and understand what supports and sustains your leadership journey.”
According to Descasio, the event reflects its broader commitment to building strong partnerships and fostering meaningful leadership conversations across its enterprise customer community.
“For us, this was about more than marking International Women’s Day,” said Umama David-Ogebe, The HR Manager at Descasio. “It was about creating a space where leaders could learn from one another and reflect on the kind of leadership that builds strong organizations. The most meaningful partnerships grow from conversations like these.”
To extend the impact of the discussion, Descasio has published “The Give to Gain Leadership Report: Insights from Women Leading Enterprise Organizations,” a curated publication capturing key reflections and leadership lessons shared during the session.
The report highlights themes including:
- The role of curiosity and continuous learning in leadership
• Building stronger teams through empathy and accountability
• The importance of authenticity and self-awareness in navigating leadership journeys
• How investing in people drives stronger partnerships and resilient organizations
The Give to Gain Leadership Report is now available for download Here.
News
World Backup Day: Research Reveals 84% of Users Store Sensitive Data Digitally

Ahead of World Backup Day, Kaspersky reveals the most popular ways to store important data and gives practical advice on how to keep it safe. Global research shows that zoomers and millennials keep nearly everything electronically, while almost one‑in‑three respondents over 55 y. o. still prefer good old‑fashioned paper.

Where do we store what matters?
Research* conducted by Kaspersky’s Market Research center shows that most people prefer to keep important info stored digitally.The majority of all respondents (84%) claim they store sensitive personal data like ID, financial details, healthcare related info or photo archive in electronic format.
When it comes to digital data storage, more than half (56%) say they keep their important records on a computer or a hard drive, 45% use cloud solutions and 20% entrust their data to government digital services.
Does digital mean safer?
Each storage method has its own advantages and limitations. Physical media can be lost or suffer damage, external hard drives are not always convenient to use on the go and cloud services, while being accessible, are vulnerable to unauthorised access. To maximise digital data security, Kaspersky experts advise adhering to the following best‑practice recommendations:
- Develop a backup strategy
There is no universal approach to data storage, nor is it necessary to back up every single file. Nonetheless, cultivating a regular backup routine is strongly recommended, particularly for sensitive data or files that cannot be regenerated or recovered through other means.
According to the popular 3-2-1 backup strategy you should have at least three copies of important data, store it on two different storage types, and make at least one copy off-side (cloud or external physical location).
The most sensitive data like passwords, ID or financial details requires special attention. Use a dedicated security solution like Kaspersky password manager, which apart from securely keeping users’ credentials and bank cards, has a special secret vault functionality aimed at storing important documents, for example, scanned Passports/IDs and PDF files, addresses and notes.
- Protect your vaults
According to Kaspersky’s data, 98% of all respondents take at least some measures to protect their personal data storages, which is a good sign. However, 36% of respondents use quick-to-remember passwords to safeguard their personal data.
Relying solely on simple passwords leaves your digital vaults vulnerable to brute‑force attacks. That’s why experts recommend enabling two‑factor authentication (2FA) wherever it is available or adopting passkey technology. Passkeys can be stored securely in a password manager and accessed seamlessly from any authorised device.
- Set up automatic backups where possible
Continuously remembering to perform backups can be cumbersome. To streamline the process, enable the built‑in backup service on every device you use (e.g., iCloud for iPhone/iPad/Mac, Google Drive/OneDrive for Android/Windows).
Test it once a month or two by restoring a single file, just to be sure the backup works. Kaspersky Premium allows users to make regular backups and restore information on Windows devices. Backup copies of data can be easily saved on removable drives or in cloud storage in an encrypted format.
“We all know backups are important, but most of us never do them because we try to back up everything at once and it gets overwhelming. The smarter approach? Treat backup like any other workflow. Tag your files – critical, important, low‑priority.
Automate real‑time backups for the critical stuff, schedule weekly or monthly backups for the rest. And for sensitive data like passwords and IDs, use our dedicated solution with a secret vault to keep it secure. When you automate and prioritise, you protect what really matters without getting overloaded,” comments Marina Titova, Vice President for Consumer Business in Kaspersky.
The study was conducted by Kaspersky’s market research center in November 2025. 3000 respondents from 15 countries (Argentina, Chile, China, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Turkey, UK, United Arab Emirates) took part in the survey.
General News3 days agoAnti Graft Agencies Raise Alarm over Rising Crypto-Linked Financial Crimes
E-Business3 days agoNITDA Takes Over National Digital Architecture System
E-Financial1 day agoCBN bars large‑ticket loan defaulters from banking services in tough new crackdown
General News1 day agoARN Rejects Medical Bill over Attempt to ‘Scrap’ Profession
Telecom1 day agoNIGCOMSAT Supports Startups Growth with the Launch of Accelerator 3.0
Telecom1 day agoFG Unveils Digital Economy Research Fund Scheme
News1 day agoMeningitis Kills a Quarter Million People a Year -Study
News1 day agoStakeholder says AI is Crucial to Nigerian Data Centres Amid Persistent Grid Collapse



















