March

Egypt extends telecom licence deadline 12 March 2010

Egypt’s National Telecom Regulatory Authority has delayed the deadline for applications for two new licences until April 15

Bharti Airtel considers $7bn loan 09 March 2010

Indian operator Bharti Airtel is negotiating a loan so that it can buy most of Zain’s African businesses

MTN chief Nhleko to step down 02 March 2010

Phuthuma Nhleko is to step down from the top position in MTN after failing to secure a merger with Bharti Airtel

February

Bharti Airtel eyes $10bn loan for Zain deal 25 February 2010

Standard Chartered, Barclays and a number of other banks are discussing loans to Bharti to buy Zain’s African business

Orascom gets $225m Weather loan 19 February 2010

The biggest shareholder in Egypt-based Orascom is to lend the company $225 million free of interest

China Unicom offers $2.5bn for Nitel stake 17 February 2010

China Unicom has made China;s biggest ever bid for international telecoms expansion with a $2.5 billion offer for Nigeria’s Nitel

Bharti to buy Zain Africa for $10bn 15 February 2010

India's Bharti Airtel is buying Zain's African operations for $10.7 billion, more than three times what Zain paid for the company in 2005

Zain appoints new chief executive 12 February 2010

A former Kuwait politician, Nabil Bin Salama, has taken over from Saad al Barrak at the top of Zain

MTN and Globacom among Nitel bidders 09 February 2010

MTN of South Africa and local operator Globacom are shortlisted for a 75% stake in the Nigerian state-owned incumbent

Zain chief quits group role 04 February 2010

Saad Al Barrak has resigned from his position as deputy chairman and group CEO of Zain, though he will continue to be CEO of the Saudi Arabian operation

Essar plans $2bn Africa telecom investments 01 February 2010

Essar, the company that owns 33% of Vodafone’s Indian operation, is planning to invest $2 billion in up to seven African mobile businesses

January

ZTE wins $378m South African contract 27 January 2010

South Africa’s mobile operator Cell C has given ZTE a $378 million equipment and managed services deal

Helios to buy 750 Millicom Ghana towers 26 January 2010

Millicom’s Tigo mobile business in Ghana is to sell 750 of its towers to a specialist infrastructure company, Helios Towers

Orascom gets waiver under $2.5bn credit deal 22 January 2010

Orascom’s lenders have granted the company a waiver of a credit agreement in relation to a $600 million tax claim from the Algerian government

Slums and warzones create new frontiers for the industry 15 January 2010

As the world enters a period of economic instability there is a pressing need for mobile network operators to identify new horizons of growth

Zain expands e-banking to new countries 07 January 2010

Zain has launched its mobile banking service, Zap, in Niger, Sierra Leone and Malawi, adding to Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda

Mobinil to sell $273m in bonds 04 January 2010

Egypt’s Mobinil plans to raise $273 million with the issue of bonds to expand its network

Russia’s Altimo in Zamtel bid 04 January 2010

Russian investment group Altimo was five minutes late to bid for Zambia’s Zamtel but has been confirmed as a bidder