International Business Briefs | Ailing Thames Water Seeks Further £823m
•February 12, 2026
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Why It Matters
These moves underscore financing strain on critical utilities, showcase Africa’s push for energy self‑sufficiency, expose geopolitical friction in the semiconductor supply chain, and reflect shifting capital‑raising strategies in insurance and fintech sectors.
Key Takeaways
- •Thames Water seeks £823m extra funding from creditors
- •Dangote refinery runs at 650k bpd after tests
- •China urges Netherlands to resolve Nexperia dispute quickly
- •Mapfre profit jumps 24% to €1.08bn, raises dividend
- •Kbank prices IPO at low end, raises $346m
Pulse Analysis
The £823 million funding request from Thames Water signals deeper liquidity challenges for the UK’s largest water provider. Creditors’ willingness to revisit options reflects a broader trend where essential infrastructure firms increasingly rely on private capital markets to bridge funding gaps left by constrained public budgets. Analysts will watch how this financing arrangement impacts tariff structures and regulatory oversight, especially as climate‑driven investment in water resilience gains momentum.
Dangote Petroleum’s successful 72‑hour performance test marks a pivotal moment for Africa’s downstream oil sector. Operating at 650,000 barrels per day, the refinery reduces the continent’s dependence on imported refined products and positions Nigeria as a regional energy hub. The involvement of Honeywell UOP underscores the importance of advanced processing technology in achieving global‑grade output, while the plant’s scale promises to reshape regional fuel pricing dynamics and attract ancillary petrochemical investments.
The Nexperia dispute highlights how geopolitical narratives can reverberate through the global chip supply chain, with Chinese officials urging the Netherlands to create a stable environment for resolution. Simultaneously, Mapfre’s 24 % profit surge and enhanced dividend illustrate resilience in the European insurance market despite inflationary pressures, while Kbank’s conservative IPO pricing reflects a cautious investor appetite in South Korea’s fintech space. Together, these stories illustrate the interconnectedness of financing, technology, and regulatory environments shaping today’s multinational business landscape.
International business briefs | Ailing Thames Water seeks further £823m
Bengaluru — Britain’s Thames Water said on Thursday that its creditors were reviewing the allocation of about £823 million in additional funding for the struggling water utility from their agreed options.
The debt‑laden firm has drawn £1.43 billion from an initial £1.5 billion super‑senior liquidity facility, and has the option to draw another £1.5 billion in two tranches. (Reuters)
Dangote Petroleum up and running at full capacity
Lagos — Dangote Petroleum Refinery’s crude distillation unit (CDU) and petroleum block were back online and running at the plant’s 650,000 barrels‑per‑day capacity during 72‑hour performance tests carried out with Honeywell UOP.
The tests are intended to confirm operational efficiency and verify that key parameters meet global standards, the refinery said.
Refinery head David Bird said the testing phase enabled validation under real operating conditions. (Reuters)
Image description: A petrol tanker at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Ibeju‑Lekki, Lagos, Nigeria.
China lectures Dutch over Nexperia ruling
Beijing — The Netherlands should “create favourable conditions” for settling internal disputes regarding chipmaker Nexperia as soon as possible and maintain the stability of the global chips supply chain, a Chinese foreign‑ministry spokesperson said on Thursday.
“The root cause of the Nexperia issue was improper administrative intervention by the Dutch side in the operation of enterprises,” ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said.
Lin’s comments came after Nexperia’s Chinese owner Wingtech lost a court battle to regain control of the Dutch chipmaker, prolonging a crisis that has threatened to bring some European car factories to a halt. (Reuters)
Image description: The Netherlands should ‘create favourable conditions’ for settling internal disputes, says China’s foreign ministry.
Spanish insurer Mapfre’s annual profit soars 24%
Gdansk — Spanish insurer Mapfre said annual profit rose 24 % to €1.08 billion, driven by growth in its non‑life insurance business and lower hyperinflation adjustments, despite regulatory impacts in Latin America and one‑off costs.
The board will propose a final gross dividend of €0.11 a share, bringing the total payout for 2025 to €0.18 a share, up 12.5 % from a year ago, Mapfre said in a statement. (Reuters)
Image description: Spanish insurer Mapfre’s annual profit is up 24 %.
Korea’s Kbank opts for conservative IPO pricing
Seoul — South Korean online lender Kbank has priced its initial public offering (IPO) at the bottom end of its indicative range to raise 498 billion won (about $346 million).
Kbank shares were priced at 8,300 won apiece, compared with an indicative range of 8,300‑9,500 won, the company said in a regulatory filing on Thursday. (Reuters)
Image description: South Korea’s Kbank prices its IPO at the bottom of the range and raises 498‑billion won.
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