These are the top 5 largest companies in Africa based on their market value.
BHP BILLITON
Mining and metals firm BHP Billiton leads the way with the market capitalisation of $71.5 billion, although this figure represents a big fall on last year’s $99.4 billion. BHP Billiton is the world’s largest diversified natural resources company. It is listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) and has 40,990 employees working in over 100 operations in 25 countries. The company occupies significant positions in major commodity businesses, including aluminium, energy coal and metallurgical coal, copper, manganese, iron ore, uranium, nickel, silver and titanium minerals, and have substantial interests in oil, gas, liquefied natural gas and diamonds. BHP Billiton was created through the Dual Listed Companies (DLC) merger of BHP Limited (now BHP Billiton Limited) and Billiton Plc (now BHP Billiton Plc), which was concluded on 29 June 2001. BHP Billiton Limited and BHP Billiton Plc continue to exist as separate companies but operate on a combined basis as BHP Billiton.
ANGLO AMERICAN
Anglo American is another mining and metals firm leading the way in Africa, with the market capitalisation of $54 billion, again down from $77.2 billion the year before. Three of Anglo American’s mining businesses are based in South Africa: Platinum, Kumba Iron Ore and Thermal Coal, with the former two, also appearing in the top ten list of companies in Africa. The company holds advantageous positions in the most structurally attractive commodities, but have taken steps to concentrate on their core mining portfolio. This has involved a series of divestments, including the demerger of the Mondi Group and the sale of our shareholdings in AngloGold Ashanti Highveld Steel and Vanadium, Namakwa Sands, Tongaat Hulett and Hulamin.
SABMILLER
The South African Breweries (Pty) Ltd. (SAB), South Africa’s leading producer and distributor of lager and soft drinks, was one of the few companies to not see its value plummet between 2010 and 2011, holding firm at $35 billion. It exports brands for distribution across Namibia and its soft drinks division is South Africa’s leading producer of products for The Coca-Cola Company. The company also has hotel and gaming interests through its associate Tsogo Sun Holdings Ltd, the largest hotel and gaming group in South Africa.
Sasol
Despite a modest fall in value to $32 billion, Sasol Ltd retains the fourth spot in the list. The company is involved in mining, energy, chemicals and synfuels. In particular, they produce petrol and diesel profitably from coal and natural gas using the Fischer-Tropsch process. The company has factories at Sasolburg and Secunda and has taken a stake in projects under construction in Qatar (Oryx GTL), Iran (Arya Polymers) and Nigeria (Escravos GTL). Sasol Limited, the holding company of the Sasol group, is jointly listed on the Johannesburg and New York stock exchanges.
MTN GROUP
Valued at $29.5 billion, Mtn Group is a multinational telecommunications group offering voice and data communications products and services in 21 countries, connecting over 120 million people across Africa and the Middle East. It also has internet service provider businesses in 13 countries. Its 35,000 employees communicate in 5 official languages and represent 35 nationalities. It has made investments in fibre optic cables as well as growing access to broadband capacity on undersea cables. MTN predominantly uses independently owned outlets to distribute its products and services but also has its own branded stores.
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