… records largest Nigerian oil & gas bond

By Ikenna Omeje

Seplat Petroleum Development Company, a leading Nigerian independent energy Company listed on both the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and the London Stock Exchange (LSE), has priced its offering of $650 million in aggregate principal amount of senior notes due 2026.  

The company, which disclosed this in a release on Sunday, said the Notes priced at a yield of 7.75 percent, was oversubscribed with demand from 120 global investors from over 20 countries, resulting in a final overbook of in excess of $1.1 billion.

“Tthe Notes priced at a yield of 7.75%, representing a significant pricing reduction from its $350 million debut issuance in 2018, which priced at a yield of 9.50% , with a coupon of 9.25%.  The size represents, the largest ever Nigerian oil and gas bond issuance.

“The offering was well oversubscribed with demand from 120 global investors from more than 20 countries resulting in a final overbook in excess of $1.1bn, which was 1.7 times book coverage.  Orders came from high quality institutional investors with long term commitments to Seplat as well as new institutional investors. The transaction was well received in the market and traded above par post-pricing,” Seplat said. 

According to the company,” The transaction shows confidence by the international market in the Nigerian economy and the oil and gas sector in particular, with a number of the investors committing to the transaction based on the strong gas story of Seplat.”

It listed Citi, J.P. Morgan, Standard Bank and Standard Chartered Bank as the Global Coordinators on the transaction, with Natixis, Rand Merchant Bank and Société Générale acting as Joint Bookrunners and FCMB Capital Markets, Nedbank, United Bank for Africa and Zenith Bank Plc acting as Co-Managers.