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Friday, 23 November 2007 |
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Second win in quick succession for France Telecom in Africa.
The Government of Niger, through its Multisectoral Regulatory Authority, announced yesterday that a consortium led by France Telecom had beaten out Vivendi-backed Maroc Telecom in the bidding for a second carrier licence in the country.
Alongside prominent local investors, FT will pay €48mn for the licence; Maroc Telecom’s bid is said to have been €20mn. Niger’s population is 13mn; mobile penetration is under 5% with three licensed operators. France Telecom’s new licence covers both fixed and mobile networks.
The move follows last week’s success for FT in the privatisation of Telkom Kenya (click here) and brings the French telco’s African footprint up to 13 countries.
Jim Chalmers
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