Converging technologies, expanding connectivity and telecom mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are predicted to be the main drivers of investment and deal activity in Sub Saharan Africa in 2016 and 2017, according to global news and events company, TMT Finance

 The topics will top the bill at the inaugural TMT Finance Africa in Lagos 2016 conference on Sept 20, which will gather over 60 international and regional CEOs, CFOs, strategy heads, private equity chiefs, and senior investment bankers, consultants and lawyers to discuss the latest investment strategies for telecoms, media & technology (TMT) across Africa.

 TMT Finance is teaming up with IHS Towers, the largest mobile telecommunications infrastructure provider in Africa, Europe and the Middle East, to bring an international audience to Africa’s technology hub, Lagos, for the first event of its kind in Nigeria.

 Ben Nice, Director, TMT Finance Africa in Lagos, said: “With now just a month to go we are really excited to be holding this event at such a critical phase for investment and M&A in Nigeria and Africa’s telecom, media and technology sectors. Lagos is the hub for innovation in Africa and the conference will act as a crucial dialogue between local, regional and international stakeholders and decision makers in the sector.”

 Key C-level executives will be attending from companies such as: Airtel, MTN, Vodacom, MainOne, DLA Piper, Etisalat, IHS Towers, Ntel, Jumiah, Nokia, Standard Bank, Emerging Capital Partners, Carlyle, Barclays, African Capital Alliance, IpNX, Rack Centre, Spectranet, Iroko, FIbersat, Standard Chartered, Citi and many more.

 Among the main themes on the agenda are: African Telecoms M&A and Financing, Africa Broadband Infrastructure Investment, Digital Africa Strategies, Venture Capital and Private Equity in Africa TMT, the Evolution of the African Towerco, Protecting Risk, Datacenters and Enterprise Cloud services, and Connecting the Unconnected.

 “Our team of TMT Finance News journalists have been reporting on a number of themes and specific situations across Africa this year, including the strategic review of Millicom’s regional assets, the sale of Neotel to Liquid Telecom, Google’s fibre rollout projects in various countries, Orange’s consolidation in West Africa, MTN Nigeria’s IPO, and a number of fundraisings for flourishing digital media and technology-based companies throughout Africa. It really is a captivating time for the sector,” Nice added.