The path toward a major restructuring in Nigeria’s agricultural sector has cleared a crucial hurdle. Following its initial announcement in September, the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) officially granted approval on October 29 for the N19.5 billion block divestment that will see UAC of Nigeria Plc hand over its controlling 73.29 percent stake in Livestock Feeds Plc to Sunbeth Treenuts and Sesame Limited.
The regulatory greenlight marks a definitive milestone in what is set to be one of the market’s most notable agro-allied transactions of the year.
For UAC, the all-cash deal – valued at N19.5 billion ( about $15 million), translating to N8.85 per share – represents a calculated monetisation and streamlining of its diverse operating portfolio. By exiting its long-held controlling investment in the animal feed sector, UAC unlocks substantial capital that can be redeployed into core growth areas, margin-accretive sectors, or operational efficiencies across its remaining operating companies.
For Sunbeth – an affiliate of Sunbeth Global Concepts, a prominent African agribusiness group – the acquisition signals an aggressive leap forward into backward integration and scaled manufacturing. Sunbeth specialises in agricultural commodity sourcing, processing, trading, and supply chain management. Acquiring Livestock Feeds allows the group to seamlessly bridge its agricultural raw material origination capabilities with an established manufacturing footprint, strong brand recognition, and a nationwide distribution network.
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Market dynamics and minority shareholder focus …
With the NGX obstacle now behind them, market attention shifts firmly toward the impending structural transitions and final pricing terms for minority holders.
Interestingly, Livestock Feeds’ actual market trading price on the NGX has hovered significantly higher than the agreed divestment base price, trading between N13.65 and N14.60 per share in early November. With 2.999 billion shares outstanding and a 52-week trading range spanning from N5.65 to N20.45, the stock has experienced heavy speculative rallies.
The fact that the stock trades well above the divestment price indicates that minority shareholders and the broader market view Sunbeth’s takeover as a powerful positive catalyst. Investors are actively pricing in future growth, potential operational synergies, and the prospect of a more vertically integrated supply chain under Sunbeth.
The stockbrokers to the transaction are Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers Limited and Cordros Securities Limited.
Leadership perspectives …
Reflecting on the milestone, Fola Aiyesimoju, group managing director of UAC, stated, “UAC has worked with the Company’s management to drive significant growth and expansion with revenues increasing 5x and profitability increasing 18x. Following the transaction, Sunbeth is keen to continue to work with Livestock Feeds’ management and employees to drive the next phase of the Company’s expansion, leveraging its rich heritage in the Nigerian agro-allied sector.”
Leadership from Sunbeth indicated that immediate post-acquisition priorities will involve collaborating closely with Livestock Feeds’ existing workforce. This synergy is expected to drive supply-chain efficiencies, bolster product quality, and leverage Sunbeth’s robust sourcing network to stabilise raw material inputs – a critical factor for feed millers navigating fluctuating grain and commodity prices in Nigeria.
Outlining Sunbeth’s long-term vision, Jeroen de Ruijter, chief financial officer of Sunbeth Agro HoldCo, noted, “This acquisition represents an important milestone in Sunbeth’s long-term strategy to build a more integrated African agribusiness platform. Our business has developed deep capabilities at origin, working across agricultural supply chains and building strong relationships with producers, customers, and global partners. We believe the next phase of our growth is about combining those strengths with world-class processing and manufacturing capabilities closer to the markets we serve.”
Ruijter added, “Livestock Feeds is a business with a remarkable heritage, established brands, experienced people, and an important role in Nigeria’s agricultural economy. We see significant opportunity to build on these foundations. Our immediate priority will be to work with the existing management team and employees to strengthen the business, improve supply-chain efficiency, and support its next phase of growth. For Sunbeth, this transaction is about much more than acquiring an asset. It reflects our confidence in Nigeria’s agricultural sector and our ambition to continue investing in businesses and capabilities that can strengthen African food systems, create value locally, and build globally competitive agricultural enterprises from Africa.”
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Iheanyi Nwachukwu, is a creative content writer with over two decades journalism experience writing on banking, finance, capital markets, and tax. The multiple awards winning journalist is Deputy Editor, BusinessDay. Iheanyi holds BSc Degree in Economics from Imo State University; Master of Science (MSc) Degree in Management from University of Lagos.
Iheanyi has attended several work-related trainings including (i) Advanced Writing and Reporting Skills (Pan African University, Lagos); (ii) News Agency Journalism (Indian Institute of Mass Communication {IIMC}, New Delhi, India); and (iii) Capital Markets Development and Regulations (International Law Institute {ILI} of Georgetown University, Washington DC, USA).
Other trainings Iheanyi attended include: Economic/Political Risk Analysis (By Thomson Reuters Foundation); International Financial Journalism (IFJ) (By PMA Media Training, UK); Effective Business Writing Skills (By Phillips Consulting); Reporting on Corporate Governance (By International Finance Corporation (IFC) & Thomson Reuters Foundation UK); etc. In addition, he has participated in high-level economy & markets events in Dubai, South Africa, Morocco, and other African countries like Zambia, Ghana and Gambia.
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