Seplat Energy Plc (NGX: SEPLAT) has announced a final dividend at a rate of US$0.025 (2.5 cents) and a special dividend at a rate of US$0.05 (5 cents) per ordinary share of N0.50k for the 2022 Financial Year ended 31st December, 2022.
The company stated that following a review of Seplat’s operational, liquidity and financial position post refinancing the Board has decided to declare an additional special dividend of US5.0 cents per share. It stated that the e payment of the special dividend reflects the Board’s confidence in the future of the business and is underpinned by a strong balance sheet.
The final and special dividends brings the total dividend declared for 2022 to US15 cents per share (2021: US10 cents per share)
Seplat had on October 27th, 2022, announced an interim dividend of US$0.025 (2.5cents) for the 9 month period ended 30th September 2022.
These dividend declarations contained in the company’s corporate action release on the Nigerian Exchange are subject to Shareholders’ of the company at the 2023 Annual General Meeting (AGM).
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The Company’s Annual General Meeting will be held in Lagos on Wednesday, 10th May 2023 at 11.00am.
The qualification date for the dividends has been set as 18th April, 2023. The company noted that on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) where its shares are also listed, the associated record qualification date will be 18th April 2023 and the Ex-dividend date will be 17th April, 2023.
On or around 10th May 2023, the dividends will be paid electronically to shareholders whose names appear on the Register of Members as at 18th April 2023, and who have completed the e-dividend registration and mandated the Registrar to pay their dividends directly into their Bank accounts.
Shareholders who are yet to complete the e-dividend registration are advised to download the Registrar’s E-Dividend Mandate Activation Form, which is also available on:http://www.datamaxregistrars.com/images/forms/seplate_e-mandate%20form.pdf, complete and submit to the Registrar or their respective Banks. Holders of shares through depositary interests on the LSE should please provide their account details to the Company’s UK depositary, Computershare.
Shareholders who have a dividend currency option, must make the election to the Company’s Registrars by 3rd May 2023, otherwise the dividends will be paid in the default currency. The election form will be sent out to the relevant shareholders and can also be found on the company website at https://seplatpetroleum.com/investor-centre/corporate-governance/dividends.
Those shareholders holding their shares on the NGX who hold a valid CCI should notify Seplat’s Nigerian Registrars, DataMax Registrars Limited (“DataMax”), of that fact.
Shareholders with dividend warrants and share certificates that have remained unclaimed or are yet to be presented for payment or returned for validation are advised to complete the e-dividend registration or contact the Registrar.
It posted a basic Earnings Per Share (EPS) of US$0.11 (11 Cents) (2021 FY: 24 cents) for the 2022 financial year, from a profit after tax of US$104.70mn (N44.43bn) (2021: US$117.17mn/N46.93bn).
Nnamdi Maduakor is a Writer, Investor and Entrepreneur
