NG Companies (Zenith, GTB, Dangote Groups) set to list in London Stock Exchange

The London Stock Exchange is actively looking to grow the number of Nigerian firms accessing its markets and is in discussions with its Nigerian counterpart to simplify the dual listings process, allowing immediate trading and settling of securities in both markets, Ibukun Adebayo, the LSE's head of business development for the Middle East and Africa told This is Africa.

"The level of interest in the country from global investment houses operating out of London has grown significantly, particularly in the last couple of years," he said. "There's been a distinct pick up in terms of the value that African countries see in having a LSE listing."

The pipeline of companies now preparing for initial public offerings in London "has grown significantly compared to this time last year", he added, without naming groups.

For businesses which have outgrown their own bourse the attraction is greater than a new realm of investors. "It's about more than just capital raising. It's about profile building, the binding effect of meeting higher regulatory standards, plus London's ability to adequately price risk from this part of the world," Mr Adebayo explained.

There are five companies either incorporated or operating in Nigeria now quoted on London markets, worth a total of $3.5bn. This September, the West Africa-focused energy group Eland Oil & Gas became the largest company to float on the LSE's Alternative Investment Market, raising $188m after it partnered with local oil firm Starcrest to buy a stake in a Nigerian oil block.

Zenith Bank, one of Nigeria's leading lenders, also said last week that it plans a secondary listing in London, which will be facilitated by JP Morgan pending shareholder approval on November 21. It follows other top-tier financial institutions Guaranty Trust Bank and Diamond Bank.

Africa's richest man, Aliko Dangote, is aiming to float a 20 per cent stake of his $11bn cement business next year - the first listing of one of his companies outside Nigeria. But Dangote Cement is grappling to meet the LSE's stringent main market corporate governance requirements, with analysts predicting that it will make it to market in late 2013 at the earliest. Source

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