Heirs Holdings in partnership with affiliated company Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc (Transcorp), has announced the unconditional acquisition of a 45 per cent participating interest in Nigerian oil licence OML 17 and related assets.
The acquisition was done through TNOG Oil and Gas Limited, a related company of Heirs Holdings and Transcorp, from the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited, Total E&P Nigeria Limited and ENI.
In addition, TNOG Oil and Gas Limited will have sole operatorship of the asset.
The transaction is one of the largest oil and gas financings in Africa in more than a decade, with a financing component of $1.1 billion, provided by a consortium of global and regional banks and investors. OML 17 has a current production capacity of 27,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day and estimated reserves of 1.2 billion barrels of oil equivalent, with an additional 1 billion barrels of oil equivalent resources of further exploration potential.
The investment demonstrates a further important advance in the execution of Heirs Holdings’ integrated energy strategy and the Group’s commitment to Africa’s development, through long term investments that create economic prosperity and social wealth.
Chairman of Heirs Holdings Tony Elumelu stated: “We have a very clear vision: creating Africa’s first integrated energy multinational, a global quality business, uniquely focused on Africa and Africa’s energy needs. The acquisition of such a high-quality asset, with significant potential for further growth, is a strong statement of our confidence in Nigeria, the Nigerian oil and gas sector and a tribute to the extremely high-quality management team that we have assembled.
“As a Nigerian, and more particularly an indigene of the Niger Delta region, I understand well our responsibilities that come with stewardship of the asset, our engagement with communities and the strategic importance of the oil and gas sector in Nigeria. We see significant benefits from integrating our production, with our ability to power Nigeria, through Transcorp, and deliver value across the energy value chain.”
Speaking further, he said: “I would like to thank Shell, Total and ENI, for the professionalism of the process, the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, and the NNPC for the confidence they have placed in us.”
Speaking on the investment, President/GCEO of Transcorp Owen Omogiafo said: “This deal further demonstrates Transcorp’s integrated energy strategy and our determination to power Africa.”
Heirs Holdings was advised by Standard Chartered Plc as global coordinator, and United Capital Plc, with a syndicate of lending institutions including Afreximbank, ABSA, Africa Finance Corporation, Union Bank of Nigeria, Hybrid Capital, and global asset management firm Amundi.
The deal also involves Schlumberger as a technical partner, as well as the trading arm of Shell as an offtaker.
