Niger is looking for a new investor for telecoms incumbent Sonitel after an agreement with Libya’s LAP Green fell through because of UN sanctions preventing the North African country to complete financial transactions, according to Reuters citing local…
Niger is looking for a new investor for telecoms incumbent Sonitel after an agreement with Libya’s LAP Green fell through because of UN sanctions preventing the North African country to complete financial transactions, according to Reuters citing local reports.
Communications minister Salifou reportedly said on local television that the authorities were going to launch an international invitation to tender, adding that the investor could either be a new entrant or an existing operator in the country.
Last January, LAP Green Network, which is the Libyan state investment vehicle in African telecoms, agreed to pay CFAfr31bn (US$68m) for a 51 per cent stake for Sonitel and it mobile unit, Sahel Com.
The transaction with LAP Green was first agreed by Niger’s military government, but was confirmed later by the new government led by Mahamadou Issoufou, who won an election in March.
The UN resolution which requires Libyan assets be frozen has led to the collapse of the transaction.
Dataport, a consortium of China’s ZTE and the Libyan Arab African Investment Company (LAAICO), previously controlled Sonitel but Niger cancelled the agreement in 2009 partly because of a lack of investment in the operator. LAAICO owns LAP GreenN.
According to reports, Sonitel has 30,000 fixed-line subscribers and SahelCom 300,000 mobile users.
There are three other existing operators in the country. Bharti Airtel and Altantique Telecom’s Moov offer mobile services, while Orange Niger holds a combined fixed, mobile and internet licence since 2007.
The authorities were not immediately available for comments.
