The Bolloré Group has announced that it has received an offer from the MSC Group, a container transport and logistics company, to acquire 100% of Bolloré Africa Logistics. This is comprising all of the Bolloré Group’s transport and logistics activities in Africa, on the basis of an enterprise value, net of minority interests, of Ksh. 727 billion (€5.7 billion).
The Group has granted the MSC Group an exclusivity until 31st March, 2022 to enable the MSC Group to submit a put option. This is further to an additional due diligence phase and contractual negotiations.
The Bolloré Group’s decision to exercise this put option and the signature of the relevant agreements may only take place after the competent employee representative bodies have been informed. Consultations and certain internal reorganisation operations will also need to be carried out within the Group.
If passed, the completion of the sale would require the approval of regulatory and competition authorities, as well as of certain counterparties of Bolloré Africa Logistics. The Bolloré Group will report on the outcome of these exclusive negotiations in due course.
The Bolloré Group will, in any event, remain strongly involved in Africa, with Canal+, a pay TV operator in French-speaking Africa and a major shareholder of MultiChoice, a pay-TV operator in Africa. The Group will also continue to develop its activities in numerous sectors such as communication, entertainment, telecoms, publishing.