Monday, May 23, 2022
  • Login
Upgrade
The Southern African Times
  • Home
  • Southern Africa
  • Global
  • Business
    • African Start ups
    • African Continental Free Trade Area
  • Tech
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Culture
    • Food and Drink
    • Entertainment
  • SAT Jobs
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Southern Africa
  • Global
  • Business
    • African Start ups
    • African Continental Free Trade Area
  • Tech
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Culture
    • Food and Drink
    • Entertainment
  • SAT Jobs
No Result
View All Result
The Southern African Times
No Result
View All Result
Home Business

Ethiopia to auction telecoms licences in December, says Tigray conflict won’t cause delays

by SAT Reporter
November 20, 2020
in Business, Ethiopia, Just In
0
Ethiopian PM says ongoing military operation in Tigray “progressing well”

Ethiopia's Prime minister Abiy Ahmed speaks during a press conference at his office in Addis Ababa, on August 25, 2018. (Photo by Michael Tewelde / AFP)MICHAEL TEWELDE/AFP/Getty Images

0
VIEWS

NAIROBI (The Southern African Times) – Ethiopia expects to sell a minority stake in Ethio Telecoms within nine months and tendering for two new licences will start on Dec. 1, an adviser to the state minister of finance said, brushing off concerns that conflict will delay the plan.

Africa’s second most populous country considers the telecoms industry its crown jewel as Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed seeks to energise sclerotic state-run sectors of the economy with a raft of reforms.

The government says the opening of one of the world’s last major closed telecoms markets will create millions of online job opportunities.

Industry executives said they thought a military offensive in the northern state of Tigray might distract officials and delay a long-awaited liberalisation of the telecoms sector.

But the government does not expect a delay to the latest timetable “even by a single day”, due to the military campaign launched on Nov. 4, Brook Taye, a senior adviser at the ministry of finance, told Reuters.

It has, however, missed several deadlines – the most recent one being April – for selling a stake in state-owned telecoms company Ethio Telecom. 

Brook said the delay was because liberalising the industry had required complex new laws. 

Eyob Tekalign Tolina, state minister at the ministry of finance, did not return calls and messages seeking comment.

Balcha Reba, director-general of the Ethiopian Communications Authority, said the process would kick off soon.

“The authority does not expect any delays, and we expect the bid for two new licences will be floated in a couple of weeks,” Balcha told Reuters.

Telecoms executives in the region remain sceptical the latest timetable would be met.

“It is kind of inevitable that things may well slow down,” said one executive on condition of anonymity, saying that senior government officials were likely to be in meetings on Tigray.

Ethiopia has predicted swift victory in the conflict as government forces advance on the Tigrayan capital, Mekelle, but rebel forces led by the Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) are in control of Mekelle and major towns like Axum.

A second executive at a separate company, who also did not wish to be named, warned protracted conflict could reduce the amount investors are willing to pay for licences.

Brook declined to say how much the government wants bidders to pay, but Kenya’s top operator Safaricom (SCOM.NR), which expressed interest in a consortium with Vodafone (VOD.L) and Vodacom (VODJ.J) estimated last year it would have to pay about $1 billion for a new licence.

Other firms that expressed interest include South Africa’s MTN (MTNJ.J), UAE’s Etisalat, French operator Orange SA (ORAN.PA).

TENDER WILL TAKE MONTHS

The formal tendering process begins on Dec. 1, Brook said, adding that it will take three to four months for investors to submit bids.

“We want to do it correctly. We want to do it cautiously,” he said. 

On the partial privatisation of Ethio Telecom, Brook said the company had completed internal re-organisations, which were a pre-requisite for the sale of the stake, paving the way for the next phase from this month.

“It will be a nine-month process,” he said of the transaction, which is being led by Deloitte. 
Investors have not yet been asked to submit interest in the Ethio Telecom stake but Brook said there was strong interest.

Previous Post

Businessman reports BDO to UK, Belgian regulators over conduct in Africa

Next Post

Mozambique police say northern village, site of reported beheadings, retaken from insurgents

SAT Reporter

Related Posts

Meet Mukuru one of Africa’s fastest-growing Fintech firms in 2022
Finance

Meet Mukuru one of Africa’s fastest-growing Fintech firms in 2022

by SAT Reporter
May 23, 2022
West African Startup Autochek Acquires Morocco’s Online Car Market Kifal
African Start ups

West African Startup Autochek Acquires Morocco’s Online Car Market Kifal

by SAT Reporter
May 23, 2022
Biden launches economic framework aimed at countering China
Asia

Biden launches economic framework aimed at countering China

by SAT Reporter
May 23, 2022
African leaders to attend 2022 World Economic Forum in Davos
Business

African leaders to attend 2022 World Economic Forum in Davos

by SAT Reporter
May 23, 2022
Senegal president to visit Moscow, Kyiv for the African Union
International news

Senegal president to visit Moscow, Kyiv for the African Union

by SAT Reporter
May 23, 2022
Next Post
Mozambique police say northern village, site of reported beheadings, retaken from insurgents

Mozambique police say northern village, site of reported beheadings, retaken from insurgents

Premium Content

South Africa’s ANC threatens to further discipline suspended Magashule

South Africa’s ANC threatens to further discipline suspended Magashule

May 11, 2021
US researchers share COVID-19 vaccine with the world

US researchers share COVID-19 vaccine with the world

January 16, 2022
Kobe Bryant inducted posthumously into Basketball Hall of Fame

Kobe Bryant inducted posthumously into Basketball Hall of Fame

May 18, 2021

Browse by Category

  • African Continental Free Trade Area
  • African Start ups
  • Algeria
  • Analysis
  • Angola
  • Asia
  • BOTSWANA
  • Botswana
  • Burkina Faso
  • Burundi
  • Business
  • Business
  • Cameroon
  • Central Africa
  • China
  • Climate Change
  • Climate Changev
  • Congo Republic
  • COVID 19
  • Culture
  • Democratic Republic of Congo
  • Eastern Africa
  • Egypt
  • Entertainment
  • Environment
  • Ethiopia
  • Europe
  • Fashion
  • Finance
  • Food
  • Food and Drink
  • Foods
  • Ghana
  • Global
  • Guinea
  • Health
  • Immigration
  • in Southern Africa
  • International news
  • Just In
  • Kenya
  • Lesotho
  • Libya
  • Life Style
  • Lifestyle
  • Malawi
  • Malawi
  • Mali
  • Markets
  • Middle East
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Nigeria
  • North Africa
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • Rwanda
  • Senegal
  • Seychelles
  • South Africa
  • South Sudan
  • Sports
  • Startup Africa
  • STOCK EXCHANGE
  • Tanzania
  • Tech
  • Togo
  • Travel
  • Travel
  • Tunisia
  • Uganda
  • Uncategorized
  • West Africa
  • World
  • World
  • ZAMBIA
  • Zambia
  • ZIMBABWE
  • Zimbabwe

Browse by Tags

African business news Africa New Africa News african footballer African investments African manufacturing industry African news African start-up Business Classic Content coronavirus Cyclone Idai Egypt Explore Bali Finance Foods football Health Hopewell Mauwa kwacha Life Style mali news Market Stories MthuliNcube news Odion Ighalo Oilandgas Pandemic Premium reserve bank of Zambia Russia soccer South Africa Southern African News sports Stay Home United Stated Vaccine Work From Home Wuhan Zambia Zimbabwe Zimbabwe Harare Manufacturing Africa Employment creationn Zimbabwe job creation

WHO WE ARE

The Southern African Times is a regional bloc digital newspaper that covers Southern African and the world news. The paper also gives a nuanced analysis on news and covers a wide range of reporting which include sports, entertainment, foreign affairs, arts and culture.

Facebook Twitter Youtube Instagram Rss

Copyright © 2022 The Southern African Times | Powered by The Southern African Times

Privacy Policy

Terms and Conditions

  • Home
  • Southern Africa
  • Global
  • Business
    • African Start ups
    • African Continental Free Trade Area
  • Tech
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Culture
    • Food and Drink
    • Entertainment
  • SAT Jobs

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?