(Reuters) - Oil producer Afren Plc (>> Afren Plc) said it had received a preliminary offer for the company from Nigerian oil and gas explorer Seplat Petroleum Development Co Plc (>> Seplat Petroleum Development Company PLC).

Afren said Seplat has until Jan. 19 to make a firm offer.

Afren's shares rose 10.5 percent to 50.82 pence on Monday morning on the London Stock Exchange.

(Reporting by Abhiram Nandakumar in Bangalore; Editing by Gopakumar Warrier)

Stocks treated in this article : Afren Plc, Seplat Petroleum Development Company PLC