The total value of deals captured (excluding South Africa) for Q1 2023 was US$3,63 billion, almost a third of the value of that reported for the same period in 2022. Of the 123 deals captured, 38% of activity was recorded in East Africa – specifically, in Kenya – followed by West Africa, led by Nigeria with 28% of the Q1 M&A activity.

The increasing importance of private equity (PE) investment on the continent has been highlighted for some time, and the decrease in M&A activity for the first quarter of 2023 is directly aligned with the fall off in PE investment for the period. There were 74 PE deals captured for Q1 2023, with a reportable value of $562,6 million (reportable because the value of many of these deals is undisclosed), constituting 60% of all M&A activity for the quarter. This is compared with $1,34 billion (139 deals) over the same period, a year ago. According to Africa: The Big Deal, the amount raised by start-ups in the first four months of 2023 is less than half of what it was at the same time back in 2022, with healthcare being the only sector recording positive year-on-year growth, contrasting with the steep decline almost everywhere else. If the continent’s economies are to return to the unprecedented growth seen in the two decades leading up to COVID, then focus should be on ensuring that start-ups have the support and conditions needed to help fuel the next wave of growth. Africa, with 60% of its population under the age of 25, is ripe to embrace new technologies, particularly if they address the socio-economic problems faced.

The largest deal by value was the acquisition by China Natural Resources (CNR) of the Williams Minerals lithium mine in Zimbabwe for US$1,75 billion from Chinese investment company Feishang Group and Top Pacific (China). The deal is a strategic move by CNR to meet the rising demand for a safe and reliable resource of lithium in a global market where the appetite for renewable energy continues to grow. Unsurprisingly, with the world focused on goals to reduce carbon emissions toward a clean energy future, five of the top six deals by value for the quarter fall into the Energy/Resources sector.

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DealMakers AFRICA is Africa’s corporate finance magazine.
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