EAC COMPETITION AUTHORITY MERGER INQUIRY NOTICE NO.7 OF 2026. THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION BETWEEN TAARIFA LTD AND NPRT HOLDINGS AFRICA LIMITED
It is hereby notified in terms of Regulation 8 of the EAC Competition (Mergers and Acquisitions) Regulations, 2025 (the Regulations) that the EAC Competition Authority (the Authority) after receiving a notification in terms of Section 11 of the East African Community Competition Act, 2006 (the Act) involving Taarifa Ltd and NPRT Holdings Africa Limited, intends to embark on an inquiry in terms of Part IV of the Act and Part III of the Regulations.
The proposed transaction involves the acquisition of 100% of the issued share capital of NPRT Holdings Africa from Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development S.A. (AKFED) by Taarifa Ltd.
Taarifa Limited, the acquiring undertaking, is a pure investment holding entity incorporated in Mauritius with no operating subsidiaries and no direct supply of goods or services to end consumers in the Community. As a newly incorporated entity, Taarifa Ltd has no non-corporate interests held directly or indirectly by third parties.
NPRT holdings Africa Limited, the target undertaking, is the legal and beneficial owner of ordinary shares in Nation Media Group PLC (NMG), comprising 54.08% of the issued share capital of NMG. NMG is a public limited company incorporated in accordance with the laws of Kenya, whose shares are listed and traded on the Nairobi Securities Exchange and cross-listed on the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange, the Rwanda Stock Exchange, and the Uganda Securities Exchange. NMG operates in the media sector in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Rwanda through various EAC subsidiaries, including Nation Marketing and Publishing Limited and Kenya Buzz Limited in Kenya; in Uganda, Monitor Publications Limited and Africa Broadcasting Uganda Limited; in Tanzania, Mwananchi Communications Limited and Nation Holdings Tanzania Limited and in Rwanda: Nation Holdings Rwanda Limited.
The Authority shall, in accordance with the provisions of the Act and Regulations, determine, among other things, whether or not the merger is likely to substantially lessen competition within the Community or is contrary to the public interest. In view of this, the Authority hereby gives notice to all interested stakeholders, including competitors, suppliers and customers of the merging parties to submit written representations to the Authority with regard to the subject matter of the proposed inquiry by emailing them to: eacca@eachq.org and vokoth@eachq.org .All written representations should be sent to the Authority not later than 29th May , 2026.
If you wish to seek further details and/ or clarifications on any aspect of this proposed transaction or need assistance, you may get in touch with the Deputy Registrar, Mergers and Acquisitions, Mr. Vincent Okoth on +255 27 216 2100 or via email at vokoth@eachq.org.
All written representations submitted to the Authority will be treated with the strictest confidentiality and will only be used for the purpose of this inquiry.
