According to Thomson Reuters, the value of announced M&A transactions involving Sub-Saharan African targets reached $18.1 billion in the first half of this year – the highest since 2013. Inbound M&A reached a four-year high of $10 billion, with the US, the UK and China leading investments, while outbound M&A declined 39% to $1.8 billion for the first half of 2017.
Domestic and inter-Sub-Saharan African M&A totalled $3.7 billion, up 38% year-on-year. South Africa's overseas acquisitions accounted for 71.9% of Sub-Saharan African outbound M&A activity, while acquisitions by companies headquartered in Mauritius and the Seychelles accounted for 17.8% and 10.3% respectively.
Furthermore, during this same period, investment banking fees reach an estimated $244.7 million, equity and equity-related issuance totaled $4.8 billion, and debt issuance raised a total of $15.3 billion in proceeds.
Sneha Shah (pictured), MD Africa for Thomson Reuters, said:
"Sub-Saharan African debt issuance raised a total of $15.3 billion in proceeds during the first half of 2017. This was more than double the value recorded during the same period in 2016 and by far the highest first half total since Thomson Reuters records began in the 1970s."
