The appetite for investments in Angola and Mozambique has not decreased despite the economic downturn, according to data provided by mergermarket, the leading independent M&A intelligence tool. Mergermarket has identified 172 potential targets across all the industries since the beginning of the year in both Angola and Mozambique.
This is almost the same figure that was recorded in the entire 2011. Even though the completed transaction are not at the same level of the boom year of 2010 for Angola and 2007 for Mozambique, there are several deals in the pipeline of the main M&A participants. Apart from the usual suspect “energy and utility,” industrial services, consumer and transport are active sectors.
The more stable investment environment, the commitment by the local governments to invest money in infrastructure projects and the increased transparent are making overseas investors more confident of the potential of the two countries, said Giovanni Amodeo, global editor in chief for mergermarket.
Players from the Middle East, Canada and Western Europe are also trying to take advantage of opportunities in the region, following the steps of the US, China, South Africa and Brazil which have already established a presence there, the data also show. Gas in Mozambique and oil in Angola are the two main drivers for more M&A, Amodeo concluded, adding that the Cove Energy transaction will surely be the trigger for more consolidation in the region.
