Smile to Sink $292m in Nigeria’s Investment Portfolio

By Bankole Orimisan

Smile Communications, the 4G LTE broadband service provider of choice, has disclosed plans to invest larger share of the funds it recently raised on the Nigerian business portfolio.

Smile Telecoms Holdings Ltd (‘Smile’), which owns and operates mobile wireless 4G LTE broadband networks in the 800MHz band in Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda, recently announced that it has raised USD 365 million of debt and equity financing (‘the funding’).

Speaking to journalists in Lagos over the weekend, Dr. Azudialu Obiejesi, chairman, Smile Communications Limited (Nigeria), disclosed that about 80% of the funds shall be invested in Nigeria, representing about $292million of the total sum.

The funding is comprised of USD 50 million of equity, raised from the Public Investment Corporation on behalf of Government Employees Pension Fund (‘PIC’) and a USD 315 million multi-tranche, multijurisdictional debt facility led by African Export-Import Bank, with participation from the Development Bank of Southern Africa, Diamond Bank PLC, Ecobank Nigeria, the PIC, the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa Limited and Standard Chartered Bank.

Smile’s shareholders now comprise the Al Nahla Group, a Saudi Arabia-based company, which is the majority shareholder; Renven Investment Holdings, a pan-African investment vehicle in which Nigerian investors, including the Obijackson Group, own the majority share; Verene, representing Smile senior management and social entrepreneurs from South Africa; Telecom Investments, a Saudi Arabia-based investment company; Capitalworks, an active alternative-management company specialising in investment in the African mid-market; the PIC; and Smile employees.

Under the terms, the funding will be used to accelerate national network roll-out, including equipment and services provided by Alcatel-Lucent and Ericsson, a full MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) network, a London point of presence and expanded international backhaul services, as well as to fund operational expenditure and working capital.  

On what percentage of the funds is Smile doling out for investment in Nigeria, Obiejesi said, “If you look at the analysis with regards to Smile as a pan-African company, but the majority of the business is in Nigeria. This is market where about 80% of Smile business comes from. So, it is also expected that about 80% of that money will be spent in Nigeria.

“This is the economy the company hopes to invest and recoup its resources too. This is where we have the population, growth tendencies, the businesses, and the oil and shows you that Nigeria is very large and sustainable for businesses too. Therefore, both in infrastructure deployment and the funds usage, it is expected that Nigeria will have a fair share. Other market will be sharing the remaining percentage.

“This simple analysis was part of the reasons the pan-African banks doled out the funds. They know Nigeria has the capacity to give back what is invested”.

The Chairman reiterated that Smile’s objective is “to become the broadband provider of choice for superfast data and clear voice in each of its markets and to provide over 300 million potential customers in its four countries of operation with a fast, reliable and high-quality platform to accelerate development and wealth creation”.