Globacom Limited, Nigeria’s second national operator (SNO) has its eyes on Aircom, a GSM licensee in Cote dâIvoire in a bid to advance its plan to enter Cote d’Ivoire’s mobile telephony market. According to a report in Nigeria’s Technology Times, Globacom may have opened talks with Aircom in a bid to enter the market anytime soon but details are still very hazy for now.
Officials of Globacom did not return calls by Technology Times to comment on indications emerging from Cote d’Ivoire that Globacom, promoted by Nigerian billionaire, Mike Adenuga Jnr., is in discussions with Aircom on closing a deal to expand Globacom’s sub-regional tentacles into Cote d’Ivoire’s telecoms market.
Should Globacom’s foray into Cote d’Ivoire succeed in the sealing of a deal with Aircom, Globacom would become the sixth operator in the Cote d’Ivoire market. Such a move should significantly contribute to an increase of the country’s 7.4 million mobile telephone subscribers, based on 2008 market data. Cote d’Ivoire has a population of about 20 million people.
Under its liberalized telecommunications market, Cote d’Ivoire currently has five active mobile operators: Atlantique Telecom Cote d’Ivoire (Moov); Comium Ivory Coast Inc (KoZ); MTN Cote D’Ivoire S.A.; Orange CI; Green (Lap Green Group); and Warid Cote d’Ivoire SA (under construction) with a mobile penetration of more than 40% at the beginning of 2008. Aircom never became operational.
Source(s): Balancing Act Africa
