London—Dentons has advised MTG, a leading international digital entertainment company, on the sale of its African production and broadcasting business to Kwese Free TV, the media arm of telecom group Econet. The sale includes MTG's production operations and channels in Tanzania, Ghana and Nigeria. A competitive auction process resulted in exclusive negotiations with Kwese and a deal being signed in May 2016. The Nigerian and Ghanaian legs of the deal completed in December 2016. The Tanzanian part of the deal remains subject to regulatory approval in Tanzania.

Dentons advised MTG on all aspects of the sale, including assisting MTG with the management of the auction sale process and leading on the negotiations of the transaction documentation. Dentons worked together with its associate firms JLD & MB Legal Consultancy in Ghana and Adepetun Caxton-Martins Agbor & Segun in Nigeria on the deal.

Commenting on the sale, Corporate partner Darren Acres said, "We are delighted to have advised our long-standing client, MTG, on the sale of its African production and broadcasting business and its strategic exit from Ghana, Nigeria and Tanzania.  The transaction was complex given the number of jurisdictions and regulatory environments involved and it is one of only a handful cross-border African media M&A deals to be completed this year."

The Dentons team was led by Corporate partner Darren Acres with support from Media partner Ingrid Silver who led a team of managing associates and associates including Ranjini Ghose, Alex Haffner and Samuel Oustayiannis.