By YANGE IKYAA
Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc, a leading Nigerian independent energy company listed on both the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and the London Stock Exchange (LSE), has announced its audited results for the financial year ended 31 December, 2020, recording a revenue of $530.5 million with increased operational efficiencies and further reduction in costs.
The company reported a final dividend of $0.05 per share recommended, or $0.10/share for full year, and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) of $265.8 million. It also reported the operating profit of $121 million before non-cash impairments and unrealized fair value losses.
Seplat maintained a strong cash position of $259 million after $100 million RCF repayment, and after payment of $58 million in the year 2020, with a capex of $150 million. Net debt stood at $440 million with most maturities after 2021.
Commenting on the results, which were released to the NSE and LSE on Monday, Mr. Roger Brown, chief executive officer of Seplat said “2020 was a challenging year for the company but Seplat has once again shown its resilience and ability to overcome challenges and deliver production in line with guidance, operating with minimal incidences of Covid-19 cases.
“From the $330 million of cash generated from operations, we have increased our capital investment, invested in ANOH and voluntarily paid down $100 million of debt, further deleveraging the balance sheet. Despite seeing the lowest oil prices in our 10-year history, we have continued to honour our commitment to shareholders of a regular income stream on their investment, by maintaining a total dividend of $0.10 per share for the year.”
The Seplat CEO explained “gas is the lower-carbon feedstock for affordable electricity for Nigeria’s young and rapidly-growing population. Seplat is leading Nigeria’s transition away from spending scarce foreign currency on imported, expensive, high-emission diesel-generated electricity and we believe this will provide the necessary baseload for a functioning electricity grid that will allow renewable energy to take its place, as we see in the developed world, which in large parts is still fueled by coal. The energy transition in Nigeria must balance both the environmental and the social agenda.”
Brown also assured that “our flagship ANOH project, with the Nigerian Gas Company, is now fully funded and we have made excellent progress in difficult times, with major gas processing units expected to arrive in Nigeria in Q3 2021, installation to commence before the end of the year, mechanical completion and pre-commissioning in Q1 2022 and first gas flowing to customers before the end of H1 2022, at a lower expected cost of up to $650 million.”
According to him, “we remain committed to providing shared value for all of our stakeholders. During the year, with our Government partners, we provided medical beds and other palliatives to our communities and we have committed to constructing a 200-bed infectious diseases hospital. Seplat continues to focus on employment opportunities for communities, education, healthcare and knowledge transfer and local capacity development,” added.
