MTN discusses share sale of Nigerian unit with local regulator – SEC

South Africa’s telecom group, MTN, has met with Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to discuss a possible initial public offering and share sale structure, Head, Nigeria’s SEC, told newsmen. SEC Director-General, Mounir Gwarzo, said MTN had discussed the possibility of issuing various classes of shares to targeted investor groups.

He said the telecom firm was looking at three different classes, which would be new in Nigeria. Gwarzo said the commission was willing to support the share sale as long as it was within local laws and advised the telecom firm to ensure retail investors were protected. MTN is the largest mobile phone operator in Nigeria with 57 million subscribers, and the country accounts for about a third of its revenue.

Africa’s biggest mobile phone operator MTN said it aimed to list its Nigerian unit in  2017, subject to market conditions, as part of an agreement with the Nigerian government. In June, the telecom firm said it would list its local unit on the Nigerian Stock Exchange after agreeing to pay a reduced fine of 1.7 billion dollars in a settlement with the Nigerian government over unregistered SIM cards.

Gwarzo said the company was yet to submit a formal application for the share sale.

MTN Nigeria has appointed Stanbic IBTC Capital, Standard Bank of South Africa, Standard Advisory London and Citigroup Global Markets, as joint transaction advisors and global coordinators. Stanbic is acting as lead issuer.