Continuing deal flow and increasing investment is predicted for in Africa’s flourishing telecom, media and technology (TMT) sector in 2018, against a backdrop of improving economic growth and increasingly stable currency outlook across key markets such as Nigeria.
Speaking ahead of the TMT Finance Africa in Cape Town 2018 conference, Nina Triantis, Global Head of TMT at Standard Bank, said there are 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 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,” she says.
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.
“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 adds. “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.”