Maroc Telecom Plans $163M Investment In West Africa

Written by Staff

Mar 14, 2015

According to a report byTelegeography.com, Maroc Telecom is planning to invest MAD 1.6 billion (USD 162.49 million) in its newly acquired West African operations over the next five years, after securing an ‘interest-free four-year loan.

According to the report, the operator will essentially focus on improving the units’ Quality of Service (QoS), while also stepping up the deployment of fixed and mobile broadband networks in Benin, Central African Republic, Gabon, Cote d’Ivoire, Niger and Togo.

In January 2015 Maroc Telecom completed the acquisition of Atlantique Telecom, which has mobile operations in Benin, Central African Republic, Gabon, Cote d’Ivoire, Niger and Togo, alongside Cote d’Ivoire-based IT service provider Prestige Telecom from United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based telecoms company Emirates Telecommunications Corporation (Etisalat) for a final consideration of EUR 474 million (USD 532.3 million).

The sale agreement was conditional on Etisalat completing a prior-agreed deal to buy French media group Vivendi’s 53% stake in Maroc Telecom, and securing regulatory approvals in the aforementioned six countries.