If you have been wondering whether there is still time to get into Aliko Dangote's refinery share sale, the clock is nearly out on one of the two Zimbabwean routes. Bard Santner Investors (BSI), the Harare asset manager that has been handling the paperwork for Zimbabweans, is now running a "Now Open" poster campaign telling investors that applications through the firm must be in by 2 October 2026. That is tomorrow. The main offer itself runs to 13 October, but the BSI route closes earlier because the money and documents have to travel.
This is a follow-up to our earlier look at what Dangote promised Zimbabwe and how to buy in, so here is what the poster actually says, and what it does not.
What the poster says
The BSI flyer, which is being shared widely on WhatsApp and social media, makes five main points:
- Who can apply. Any individual, company, partnership, trust, fund or other legal entity that is resident, domiciled, organised or incorporated in an African jurisdiction. The poster stresses the offer is "not only open to Nigerians," which is the point most Zimbabweans wanted confirmed.
- The minimum. US$20,000, for 50,000 shares. That works out at about US$0.40 a share, in line with the N525 offer price.
- The deadline. Applications submitted through BSI must reach the firm by 2 October 2026.
- What BSI does. It says it will guide applicants through each step and handle the documentation and compliance on their behalf.
- The small print. Participation is "subject to regulatory approvals," including IPEC where applicable, SECZ and RBZ Exchange Control. The poster also points readers to the prospectus on the IPO website.
The contact details printed on the poster are +263 861 2000 700, investors@bardsantner.com and the BSI offices at 5th Floor Beverly Court, 100 Nelson Mandela Avenue, Harare.
Why the US$20,000 figure matters
The gap between the two routes is the real story. Nigerians can apply for as few as 10 shares, about N5,250, which is why the offer is marketed as a "people's IPO." The FINSEC regional programme, approved by Zimbabwe's securities regulator, starts from US$100 and runs through C-TRADE and EcoCash, according to Businessday. The BSI route asks for 200 times as much.
In other words, the BSI route is aimed at investors who can move serious money offshore, not at most people reading the poster. That is not a criticism of BSI, which is openly positioning itself for larger investors, but it is worth knowing before you share the flyer with a relative who has US$500 to spare. For them, the FINSEC route, which closes on 9 October, is the relevant one.
What the poster leaves out
A poster has room for a headline, not a risk disclosure. A few things to weigh:
- Approvals are not automatic. The poster itself says participation depends on exchange control and regulator sign-off. TechCabal has reported that the offshore route is largely manual, with funds moving through Ecobank Zimbabwe to Ecobank Nigeria, and that the purchase needs exchange control approval. If approval is slow, a late application may simply miss the window.
- Demand is enormous. Nigerian outlets report roughly N1.48 trillion pooled from more than 400,000 deals within the first hour, and the earlier private placement was oversubscribed by 270 percent, according to Parrot Nigeria's report. Oversubscription can mean applicants are scaled back and only part of an order is filled, so do not assume you will get all 50,000 shares.
- "Once in a lifetime" is marketing. The poster uses that phrase, but the valuation argument is live. As we noted earlier, critics say the refinery is being valued at more than twice what it cost to build, and that retail investors are paying more per share than the institutions that came in at the private placement.
- Currency risk sits on top. The shares are priced in naira, so a move in the naira against the dollar changes what your holding is worth to you, whatever the refinery earns.
- This is the refinery, not Zimbabwe. The shares are in the Lekki refinery in Lagos. They are not a stake in Dangote's proposed cement, power or pipeline projects here.
What this means for Zimbabwean investors
For most readers, the practical takeaway is to check which route fits your size and timing before acting, not to rush because a poster says "now open." If you have US$20,000 or more and are considering BSI, call the firm, ask for the prospectus, and ask in writing what happens to your money if exchange control approval is delayed or your order is scaled back. If you have less, the FINSEC route is the one built for smaller investors, and it has a few more days.
Either way, this is a foreign-currency investment in a single company, and we are not financial advisers. Read the prospectus and speak to a licensed adviser before you commit money you cannot afford to have tied up.
What to watch next
The subscription figures when the offer closes on 13 October, and whether the issuer takes up the extra shares allowed if demand is high. The November listing on the Nigerian Exchange, and how the share price trades against the N525 offer price. And how many Zimbabweans actually end up taking part through each route, which will show whether this was a real opening for local investors or mostly a story for the few who can move US$20,000.
Sources
- Nigeria: Dangote Launches U.S.$1.6bn Refinery IPO for Zimbabwean Investors, AllAfrica
- Dangote IPO expands across Africa as Zimbabwe investors gain access, Businessday NG
- Dangote may seek SEC nod for extra shares as IPO demand surges, Parrot Nigeria
- How Zimbabweans are getting into Africa's biggest IPO, TechCabal
- Nigeria's Dangote refinery launches biggest African IPO for retail investors, France 24
- Poster: Bard Santner Investors, "Dangote Refinery IPO Now Open"
- Image: Aliko Dangote during his Harare visit, via Bard Santner Investors
