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Merger and Acquisition

Visa Makes a Billion-Dollar Move: Acquires Brazilian Startup Pismo to Expand Fintech Reach

Visa’s $1 Billion Acquisition of Pismo Signals Fintech Expansion into Latin America

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Visa Inc

Credit card giant Visa has announced its acquisition of Pismo, a Brazilian payments infrastructure startup, for a staggering $1 billion in cash.

This landmark deal is set to be one of the most significant fintech mergers and acquisitions of the year thus far.

Founded in 2016 by Juliana Motta, Ricardo Josua, Daniela Binatti, and Marcelo Parise, Pismo has quietly garnered an impressive list of high-profile clients, including Citi, Itaú (one of Brazil’s largest banks), Revolut, N26, Nubank, and Cora. The startup’s operations extend beyond Brazil, with a presence in several Latin American countries, the United States, Europe, as well as select markets in India, Southeast Asia, and Australia.

Pismo’s cloud-native issuer processing and core banking platform have been pivotal in providing banks, fintechs, and other financial institutions with the much-needed flexibility and agility to launch innovative products. Its services encompass card and payment solutions, digital banking, digital wallets, and marketplaces. Pismo also prides itself on empowering financial institutions to take control of their core data and utilize it intelligently.

By acquiring Pismo, Visa aims to bolster its capabilities in core banking and issuer processing across debit, prepaid, credit, and commercial cards. The startup’s platform will enable Visa to support emerging payment rails, such as Brazil’s Pix, and provide enhanced connectivity for its financial institution clients. The acquisition aligns with Visa’s strategic vision to offer differentiated issuer solutions and strengthen its relationships with financial institutions and fintech clients worldwide.

Jack Forestell, Visa’s chief product and strategy officer, expressed enthusiasm about the acquisition, stating, “Through the acquisition of Pismo, Visa can better serve our financial institution and fintech clients with more differentiated issuer solutions they can offer their customers.” The deal is expected to be finalized by the end of the year, pending regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions. Notably, Pismo’s current management team will remain intact and continue to operate from their São Paulo headquarters.

Pismo’s journey to this groundbreaking deal has been marked by remarkable growth. At the beginning of 2021, the company’s transaction volume stood at less than $1 billion per month, but it surged to nearly $40 billion in annual transaction volumes. With almost 80 million accounts and over 40 million issued cards, Pismo has cemented its position as a key player in the payments infrastructure space.

The acquisition garnered interest from multiple companies, with Visa emerging as the winning bidder. Ethan Choi, partner at venture firm Accel, which co-led Pismo’s Series B funding, emphasized the strategic significance of the deal and its potential synergies, asserting that Visa’s decision to provide core banking and card issuing services highlights the company’s commitment to working closely with banks and financial institutions.

Visa’s move to acquire Pismo echoes its previous infrastructure plays, such as the $2.15 billion acquisition of European fintech startup Tink, focused on open banking APIs. However, it is worth mentioning that Visa’s planned $5.3 billion acquisition of U.S.-based Plaid, an open banking startup, was abandoned due to regulatory hurdles.

The acquisition of Pismo by Visa not only serves as a major triumph for the Latin America region, which has experienced a surge in global investor interest, but it also signifies a remarkable turnaround for Pismo itself. In 2019, the startup faced financial hardship, having nearly depleted the cash it had raised in its initial seed round. Co-founders Binatti and Parise even resorted to selling their only car to sustain the company’s operations. Now, with the backing of Visa, Pismo’s workforce of over 400 employees will join the Visa team, further strengthening the company’s presence and capabilities.

This acquisition also highlights Accel’s knack for investing in financial infrastructure companies that subsequently attract significant attention and acquisition offers. In 2020, consumer financial services platform SoFi acquired payments and bank account infrastructure company Galileo for $1.2 billion, shortly after Accel injected $77 million in Series A funding into the company.

Visa’s acquisition of Pismo represents a pivotal moment in the fintech landscape, setting the stage for continued innovation and expansion in the payments and banking sectors. As the deal progresses, industry observers eagerly anticipate the impact of this strategic move and its implications for the future of banking and payments on a global scale.

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Merger and Acquisition

Flour Mills Receives Regulatory Approval for Minority Shareholder Buyout

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flour mills posts 184% increase in PAT

The Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc (FMN) has perfected plans to buy out minority shareholders to focus on strengthening its position as the future of African food businesses.

Boye Olusanya, the group managing director, stated that the company has received approval from the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to proceed with the purchase.

FMN disclosed on Tuesday that the buyout would be executed through a scheme of arrangement, supervised by relevant regulatory bodies.

According to Olusanya, this move aligns with FMN’s goal to become the leading Pan-African food business, improving its ability to innovate and grow, while focusing on long-term value for stakeholders.

He said the buyout would enhance FMN’s operational efficiency and decision-making agility.

The company plans to apply to the Federal High Court for approval to convene a shareholders’ meeting, where the resolution to buy out minority shareholders will be discussed.

Olusanya said the resolution would pass if at least 75% of shareholders, either in person or by proxy, approve it at the Court-Ordered Meeting (COM). FMN’s board has already recommended the offer to shareholders, citing the buyout’s potential advantages for innovation and sustainable growth.

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Merger and Acquisition

FBN Holdings Clarifies Merchant Banking Divestment, Retains Other Subsidiaries

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FBN Holdings

FBN Holdings has sought to clarify the recent divestment from its Merchant Banking business.

According to the lender, all its businesses and entities apart from the Merchant Banking business are not included in the divestment deal.

It said, “We wish to clarify that all other entities and businesses listed below are not included in the divestment, and they remain subsidiaries of FBNH and are well integrated into the Group’s strategic focus.”

The subsidiaries are FBNQuest Capital Limited, FBNQuest Asset Management Limited, FBNQuest Trustees Limited, FBNQuest Funds Limited, and FBNQuest Securities Limited.

“We reiterate that the divestment pertains solely to FBNQuest Merchant Bank Limited, with no impact on the continued operations or strategic positioning of our other subsidiaries within the Group,” the bank stated in a release signed by Adewale L.O. Arogundade, Acting Company Secretary.

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Merger and Acquisition

Aradel Energy Seals $16M Acquisition of Olo and Olo West Marginal Fields

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Aradel Holdings Plc, an indigenous energy company, has announced the successful acquisition of a 100 percent interest in the Olo and Olo West marginal fields, located in the Eastern Niger Delta, through its subsidiary, Aradel Energy Limited.

The deal, which was completed in collaboration with TotalEnergies EP Nigeria and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), is valued at $16 million, with an additional $3.5 million in deferred and conditional payments.

The Olo and Olo West Fields were formerly part of Oil Mining Lease (OML) 58, and the acquisition marks a significant milestone in Aradel’s strategic plan for growth in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.

The deal is a major step towards enhancing energy security and bolstering Aradel’s commitment to providing sustainable energy solutions that drive economic development.

In a statement on Thursday, Aradel confirmed that the necessary regulatory processes are underway for the issuance of the Petroleum Mining Lease (for Olo) and the Petroleum Prospecting License (for Olo West).

This will follow the payment of relevant ministerial consent fees and the completion of the field development plans within designated timelines.

Aradel’s Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Adegbite Falade, expressed enthusiasm over the acquisition, emphasizing its importance in advancing the company’s vision of promoting energy security in Nigeria.

“The addition of Olo and Olo West marginal fields to Aradel’s portfolio is a significant inorganic growth milestone in furtherance of our long-term strategy to provide sustainable energy solutions that support economic growth,” Falade said.

Falade also praised the collaboration between the Ministers of Petroleum Resources and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) for their support throughout the acquisition process.

He acknowledged the role of NNPC and TotalEnergies in facilitating the deal, highlighting their commitment to boosting Nigeria’s oil and gas production from marginal fields.

Marginal fields are oil or gas fields that have been discovered but left unattended for a decade or more.

Their development is seen as a crucial opportunity for indigenous companies like Aradel to step in and maximize Nigeria’s untapped energy resources.

Olo and Olo West, located 80 kilometers northwest of Port Harcourt, hold considerable potential for increasing Nigeria’s oil output.

Falade noted that the acquisition aligns with Aradel’s ambition to pursue both organic and inorganic growth in the energy sector.

He reiterated that Aradel is dedicated to expanding its footprint in Nigeria’s energy industry, and this transaction reflects the company’s ongoing efforts to achieve that goal.

The acquisition is particularly significant in light of Nigeria’s ongoing push for self-sufficiency in energy production.

The government has encouraged private sector investments in marginal fields as part of its broader efforts to increase the country’s oil and gas output, reduce reliance on imports, and create job opportunities for Nigerians.

Aradel’s acquisition of the Olo and Olo West fields underscores the company’s resolve to be a key player in the country’s energy future.

As the fields move towards development and production, Aradel will be playing a critical role in advancing Nigeria’s energy sector and contributing to the nation’s overall economic stability.

The energy firm has built a reputation for its innovative and responsible approach to energy production, and the Olo and Olo West acquisition is expected to further cement Aradel’s standing in the industry.

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