The Editorial Team |

Saipem Convicted in Algeria Corruption Case; Eni Cleared

TUNIS (Capital Markets in Africa) – Saipem SpA was convicted in Milan of corruption linked to energy contracts in Algeria, while fellow Italian oil company Eni SpA was cleared. The oil-services company was fined 400,000 euros ($467,800), and another 197 million euros will be confiscated as part of the conviction, according to judge Giulia Turri. Eni, which owns 31 percent of Saipem, Eni’s former Chief Executive Officer Paolo Scaroni and current Chief Upstream Officer Antonio Vella were cleared of any wrongdoing. Saipem may…

Egypt Plans to Sell $5 Billion Bonds Overseas in Next Few Months

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CAIRO (Capital Markets in Africa) – Egypt plans to issue international bonds worth about $5 billion in the coming months, Finance Minister Mohamed Maait said Wednesday. “We don’t know the schedule yet, but we’re planning,” Maait told a gathering of business people in Cairo. “We are monitoring the interest rate, we are monitoring international markets.” Maait said that the exact issue size had yet to be finalized and Egypt was still considering what currency to issue in….

MTN Surges as Nigeria Softens Tone on $8.1 Billion Claim

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LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – MTN Group Limited’s shares rose the most in more than six months after Nigeria softened its stance over claims that Africa’s biggest wireless carrier illegally transferred $8.1 billion out of the country. The Central Bank of Nigeria made the accusation late last month, plunging the South African company into a crisis that’s wiped almost a third off its share price. MTN has since provided additional information that may lead…

Two Middlemen Found Guilty in Milan Trial Over Nigeria Oil Graft

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LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – Two middlemen were found guilty of corruption in Milan in a case related to an oil deal involving Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Eni SpA and the Nigerian government. Emeka Obi and Gianluca Di Nardo were found by a court to have helped arrange a payment between the oil companies and the Nigerian government for an oil license in the country, which largely went to pay bribes. The verdict could help bolster Italian prosecutors’ case…

RWE Adds African Producers to Talks on Supplying German Terminal

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LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – Africa is joining Qatar and the U.S. on the list of potential suppliers of liquefied natural gas to Germany’s first import terminal for the fuel. Talks are underway with African LNG producers to supply the planned German facility, as well as with Qatar, the world’s biggest producer, said Andree Stracke, chief commercial officer at RWE AG’s supply and trading unit. The German utility has agreed to take capacity in the proposed terminal…

South Africa, in Grip of Recession, May Mull Rate Increase

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JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – South African policy makers may be about to consider whether to follow counterparts from Russia to Turkey and raise interest rates — even when the country is battling a recession. Investors and economists are divided on the chances that officials will respond to emerging-market turmoil with the country’s first upward move in borrowing costs since 2016. While forward-rate agreements suggest there’s a small chance of an increase on Thursday, just three of…

Steinhoff Seeks Extra Funding to Aid Mattress Firm Revival

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JOHANNESBUG (Capital Markets in Africa) – Steinhoff International Holdings NV is assessing ways to attract extra funding for Mattress Firm to execute a turnaround of the troubled U.S. bedding retailer. Bought for $3.8 billion two years ago, Mattress Firm has emerged as a headache for Steinhoff as it strives to shore up liquidity following an accounting scandal. The 3,300-store chain expanded too aggressively, suffered from ineffective marketing and has been embroiled in a dispute with suppliers,…

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