meed-logo

line1 line2 line3
SIGN IN / REGISTER

M&A market boosted by energy deals

24 October 2024

 

The mergers and acquisitions (M&A) market in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region received a significant boost on 1 October, when Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) finally secured agreement from German chemicals firm Covestro for a takeover worth €14.7bn ($16.1bn).

Assuming it is completed, it will be the largest acquisition to date by Adnoc, which is no stranger to large M&A transactions. Indeed, just 10 days later, the UAE energy giant said it had received all the necessary approvals to complete its purchase of a 50% stake in another chemicals producer, Fertiglobe, from Dutch-listed OCI, taking its total shareholding in the business to 86%. That €3.6bn deal had been announced in mid-December 2022.

Adnoc has been chasing the Covestro deal for some time, steadily ramping up its offer from an initial €55 a share to the eventual €62 a share. 

On current projections, it looks set to be the biggest M&A deal involving a Mena company this year. Data compiled by LSEG Data & Analytics, part of the London Stock Exchange Group, points to it being among the 10 largest M&A deals anywhere in the world this year.

Rebounding trend

Overall, there were $46.6bn-worth of M&A deals involving a Mena company in the opening half of the year, according to LSEG. This was a 48% increase on the same period of 2023, by LSEG’s metrics, and was similar to the levels seen in 2020-22.

Of that, $28.6bn were deals involving a target company outside the region – the highest level for outbound deals in the first half of a year since 2007.

There were a further $17.6bn-worth of deals involving a Mena target company from January to June, of which $11.2bn were being pursued by acquirers from outside the region.

Deals with both a local acquirer and target amounted to $6.3bn – down 12% year-on-year and now at a seven-year low.

Beyond the Covestro transaction, there have been at least nine other deals worth more than $1bn so far this year. These include a $1.1bn deal for Austrian aircraft leasing company Macquarie AirFinance to buy a portfolio of 23 aircraft from Kuwait’s Alafco Aviation Lease & Finance. The deal was announced in February and followed a similar deal in 2023 between the two companies.

Others include a deal by Adnoc Logistics & Services to acquire oil tanker operator Navig8 for up to $1.5bn in a two-stage transaction; Microsoft’s investment of $1.5bn for an undisclosed stake in the UAE artificial intelligence (AI) company Group 42; and a $2bn investment by Alat, a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, in convertible bonds issued by Chinese technology company Lenovo Group.

Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) has also been on the acquisition trail, announcing a $2.7bn investment in Greek renewable energy company Terna Energy in July. The same month, it also announced a deal with Italian firm Endesa to invest €817m for a 49.9% stake in a portfolio of 48 solar power plants with a total capacity of 2GW. 

In September, Masdar announced a plan to buy energy developer Saeta Yield for $1.4bn, adding 745MW of wind and solar generating capacity in Spain and Portugal.

As with the Adnoc/Fertiglobe deal, other big transactions announced last year have been completed this year. Among them is the $1.4bn merger of Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange-listed Al-Yah Satellite Communications Company and Bayanat AI, which was unveiled in December and completed on 1 October.

There were $46.6bn-worth of M&A deals involving a Mena company in the opening half of the year

Not always a done deal

Not all announced deals go through, however. In April, Dubai-based engineering consultant Dar Al-Handasah Shair & Partners Holdings (Sidara) approached London-listed John Wood Group with a takeover offer. By late May it had made a fourth and final offer valuing the Aberdeen-headquartered firm at £1.6bn ($2.1bn). However, in early August Sidara backed out saying “in light of rising geopolitical risks and financial market uncertainty” it no longer intended to make a firm offer.

Even with such setbacks, the UAE has been the most active market for M&A deals in the first half of the year. Of the announced deals involving a Mena target, $9.7bn-worth have been for a UAE firm, according to LSEG. Saudi Arabia is in second place, with $3.1bn of the total.

On a sectoral basis, the financial services industry has accounted for most of the deals involving a Mena target, with $6.3bn of the total. Technology and telecommunications companies accounted for a further $3.2bn, while deals involving materials and industrial companies totalled $2.8bn and energy and power company deals were worth $1.6bn.

According to professional services firm Ernst & Young (EY), the region’s sovereign wealth funds, such as Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (Adia), the UAE’s Mubadala and Saudi Arabia’s PIF, have continued to lead the deal activity in the region, as they push ahead with government-directed efforts to diversify their home economies.

While the likes of Covestro and Terna are European, overall, it is the US that is the main destination for outbound M&A deals, according to EY. However, there have been some major deals announced involving other parts of the world too. In March 2024, Mubadala and Adia joined a consortium that spent $8.3bn to acquire a 60% stake in Chinese shopping mall manager Zhuhai Wanda.

Detailed data is not yet available for third-quarter activity in the Mena region, but the global trends point to a fairly active market. According to LSEG, global completed M&A advisory fees reached $23bn in the first nine months of the year, a 3% increase on the same period of 2023

https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/12744944/main.gif
Dominic Dudley

Register for MEED's guest program now to access this article.

Click here to register
Exclusive from Meed
Related Articles
  • Saudi Arabia battery storage awards provide fresh lift

    24 August 2026

    Commentary
    Mark Dowdall
    Power & water editor

    The latest battery storage awards provide a welcome injection of investment into Saudi Arabia’s power market, which has seen a sharp slowdown in contract awards this year.

    Saudi Power Procurement Company’s four Group 1 storage service agreements, announced last week, are worth more than $1.16bn and cover 2,000MW of capacity.

    That is significant against the wider market. According to regional project tracker MEED Projects, Saudi Arabia recorded $19.7bn in power sector contract awards in the first seven months of 2025, compared with just $2.5bn in new awards in the same period this year.

    The battery energy storage system (bess) awards therefore account for a sizeable share of the activity recorded so far this year and provide a much-needed source of new contracting activity.

    Importantly, this is not a one-off. SPPC issued the request for proposal (RFP) for its second group of bess projects in July, covering six projects with a combined capacity of 3,000MW and 12,000MWh.

    With the Group 1 tender taking around 18 months from RFP to contract award, it is reasonable to expect Group 2 contracts to be signed in 2027.

    At the same time, the awards for six independent renewable plants under Round 7 of Saudi Arabia’s National Renewable Energy Programme (NREP), with a combined capacity of 5,300MW, are also likely to move into next year, with the latest bid deadlines now extending into September.

    Although a substantial pipeline remains in procurement, it is only once these projects move from tender to award and into construction that this pipeline translates into market activity.

    It is important that these tenders continue to progress at the pace established by the early rounds of Saudi Arabia’s renewable energy programme and now also SPPC’s independent storage provider bess scheme.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/18962923/main.jpg
    Mark Dowdall
  • Qatar receives bids for major power grid expansion

    24 August 2026

     

    Qatar General Electricity & Water Corporation (Kahramaa) has received bids for several packages under a major power transmission expansion project tendered in April.

    The project covers new substations at multiple voltage levels, as well as the supply and installation of 400kV extra-high-voltage power cables. The overall scheme is estimated to cost $650m.

    It is being tendered as part of Kahramaa’s 2026 procurement plan, which includes 198 tenders with a total estimated value of QR21.4bn ($5.9bn).

    According to sources, bids were submitted for the following packages on 20 August:

    • Substation packages S1 and S2, covering new 132/11kV substations (estimated cost: $200m)
    • Package S3, covering new 66/11kV substations ($50m)
    • Package S4, including a new 400/220/132kV substation, as well as upgrades and modifications to existing 400kV and 220kV substations ($200m)
    • Package S5, covering new 132/11kV substations and upgrades to existing 132kV and 66kV substations ($100m)
    • Cable packages C1 and C2, covering 400kV cables ($100m)

    Kahramaa previously stated that foreign companies not registered in Qatar would be allowed to participate in the bidding, subject to meeting specified conditions, including registration and certification requirements.

    In June, the electricity and water utility awarded contracts worth more than QR2.2bn ($604m) to expand the electricity transmission network in the country’s western region.

    The engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) works will support the integration of the 2GW Dukhan solar power project into Qatar’s national electricity grid. The scope includes new and upgraded substations, as well as the installation of underground cables and overhead transmission lines.

    Kahramaa said contracts were awarded to local firm Voltage Engineering, Turkiye’s Best & Betas Consortium, India’s Larsen & Toubro and South Korea’s LS Cable.

    Of Kahramaa’s 2026 procurement plan, electricity transmission projects account for QR8.9bn ($2.4bn) and include the construction of new 400/132kV substations in Al-Wukair and Al-Mashaf, as well as the expansion of 400kV substations at Ras Laffan.

    These also cover the installation of 132kV underground cables between Al-Sailiya and Al-Rayyan over a 24-kilometre route, as well as upgrades to the 400kV and 220kV networks.

    Additionally, there are 64 planned electricity distribution projects managed by the Electricity Distribution Department that cover the medium-voltage and low-voltage networks throughout Doha and the regional municipalities. 

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/18962223/main.jpg
    Mark Dowdall
  • Maaden closes $1bn term loan and credit facility

    24 August 2026

    Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Maaden) has announced the closing of its inaugural international syndicated term loan and revolving credit facilities, worth a total of $1bn.

    The $500m international term loan facility will support Maaden’s growth agenda and general corporate purposes, including funding growth projects across its portfolio.

    The $500m international revolving credit facility, which is expected to remain undrawn, provides additional committed funding capacity “as Maaden continues to scale its business and execute its long-term growth strategy”.

    The transaction “was met with strong support from the international banking market, attracting participation from a diverse group of leading international banks across key global financial markets”, including the US, Canada, Europe, China and Japan. The facilities were oversubscribed, Maaden said.

    ALSO READ: Maaden and Aramco sign deal to create joint venture

    “The level of demand reflects the global banking community’s confidence in Maaden’s financial strength, strategic direction and ambitious growth plans,” the Saudi state miner said in its statement.

    “The facilities mark another significant milestone in Maaden’s funding journey – further diversifying its sources of funding and broadening its access to global capital providers as the company continues to advance its long-term growth ambitions.

    “Maaden continues to make significant progress across its growth pipeline, expanding production, advancing major projects and accelerating exploration as it builds a world-class mining company at the heart of Saudi Arabia’s economic transformation.”

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/18962086/main4516.jpg
    Indrajit Sen
  • Dubai inflation slows to 5.3% in July

    24 August 2026

    Dubai’s annual inflation rate slowed to 5.3% in July, down from 5.7% in June, as a decline in transport costs eased pressure on consumer prices, according to Emirates NBD.

    The bank said the slowdown supported its view that price growth peaked at mid-year, and it expects inflation to continue easing through the rest of 2026. Monthly price growth slowed to 0.1% in July, from 0.4% in June, the weakest pace since February.

    Transport was the clearest sign of the moderation. Annual price growth in the category slowed to 11.9% in July, from 18.1% in June, as transport costs fell 3.7% over the month. Fuel and lubricant inflation eased to 24.1% year on year, from 48.3%, tracking a decline in local petrol prices.

    Petrol remains the main swing factor in the emirate’s inflation. Transport contributed 1.1 percentage points to headline inflation in July, down from 1.7 percentage points in June. Emirates NBD said the relief may prove temporary, with Super 98 petrol prices climbing 5.9% in August to leave them 33.8% higher than a year earlier. The bank expects headline inflation to edge higher in the August figures before easing again later in the year.

    The UAE deregulated petrol and diesel prices in 2015 and reviews them monthly against global prices, meaning changes in global fuel costs pass through to consumers quickly. Transport, which includes fuel, accounts for 9% of Dubai’s consumer price index basket.

    Housing remained the largest contributor to inflation even as its impulse faded. Housing and utilities, which account for about two-fifths of the basket, added 2.8 percentage points to headline inflation. Annual price growth in the category slowed to 7.0%, from 7.4% in January.

    Food inflation edged up to 7.8% year on year, from 7.6% in June, which the bank attributed to lingering supply-chain disruption from the regional conflict. Inflation in restaurants and hotels accelerated to 4.5% year on year, from 1.7% in June.

    Emirates NBD forecasts inflation of 2.9% by year-end but said risks to that projection were tilted to the upside, given lingering pressures in food and housing.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/18961735/main1839.jpg
    Colin Foreman
  • Libya oil project on track for 2027 completion

    24 August 2026

     

    The project to develop a workers’ camp at Libya’s Erawin oil field is on track for completion next year, according to industry sources.

    The project, estimated to be worth about $50m, is being executed by the Libyan oil services company Al-Saraya Al-Hamara, headquartered in the city of Sebha.

    The Libyan company was awarded the contract in February 2025.

    The scope of the project includes:

    • Construction of an accommodation camp
    • Construction of the camp maintenance warehouse
    • Construction of the camp office
    • Construction of a fire brigade shelter
    • Construction of a kitchen and mess hall
    • Construction of a mosque
    • Construction of a laundry room
    • Construction of a clinic
    • Construction of parking facilities
    • Installation of a fire and gas system
    • Installation of a power generator
    • Construction of associated facilities

    The client on the project is Zallaf Libya Oil & Gas Exploration & Production Company.

    Zallaf Libya Oil & Gas Exploration & Production Company was established in Libya in 2013 and is wholly owned by Libya’s state-owned National Oil Corporation.

    The Erawin field development project is located about 800 kilometres south of Tripoli and 100km southwest of the El-Sharara field.

    Libya shipped its first cargo of crude from the Erawin oil field in November 2023.

    The shipment departed from Libya’s Zawiyah port and consisted of 600,000 barrels of crude.

    Australia-based Worley Parsons was appointed as the front-end engineering and design (feed) contractor for the early production facility project in 2019.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/18953632/main.jpg
    Wil Crisp