PrimeTime Property expresses confidence in latest Zambian acquisition
Botswana Listed property development firm PrimeTime Property Holdings has expressed confidence in the Zambian market and reiterated it was excited about its latest acquisition in the country.
PrimeTime’s latest acquisition is a prime retail centre of 7,500 square metres in the upmarket central Lusaka neighbourhood of Kabulonga.
The retail centre is anchored by Pick n Pay and Woolworths and has a strong presence from international and local retailers, banks, and food and beverage outlets.
Tenants include Pizza Hut, KFC, Nandos, Mugg & Bean, LG, FNB, Standard Chartered, Mr Price, MTN and many more.
The company says the property will provide it with a sizable dollar income, in addition to the rentals generated at the PwC Office Park, also in Lusaka, which was acquired in March 2016.
“We are delighted to have received such strong support from our investors, which I believe reflects the confidence held in our management team and the long-term strategy that we have laid down for the continued growth of the company.
“The Kabulonga Mall is an excellent addition to the PrimeTime portfolio, being an end product that we understand well, with a well-balanced and high-quality tenant base including a number of occupiers we have established relationships with in Botswana,” PrimeTime’s asset manager, Joe Simpson said.
The Kabulonga Mall was developed by Pylos Zambia, part of the Belgium-based Pylos Group who have successfully developed commercial property in Europe, South America and Africa.
As the developers of the mall Pylos have provided PrimeTime with a rental guarantee, which reflects a 9.25 per cent return in the first year of operation.
The property was recently valued by independent valuers Knight Frank at just over $17.3 million.
PrimeTime also acquired a plot in Chirundu on the Zambia/Zimbabwe border for which it received unitholder approval to develop a shopping centre with Time Projects Zambia at the end of October last year.
The development of some 5,000 square metres will be anchored by Shoprite, Hungry Lion and PEP and is expected to commence development early in 2017.
The new acquisitions are being financed through a further issuance of PrimeTime’s bond programme and 12-month Commercial Paper.
PrimeTime’s managing director, Sandy Kelly commented: “We had an extraordinary response to the two rounds of fundraising that we undertook in 2016, with demand exceeding our requirement on both occasions. It is a testament to the success that PrimeTime has had in unlocking investment opportunities beyond Botswana’s borders that demand for the company’s notes has been so strong.
