MTN Sells Off Towers, Hunts For Bigger Market Share In Middle East

MTN Sells Off Towers, Hunts For Bigger Market Share In Middle East

By Andrew Irumba

South Africa based telecom giants MTN has agreed to sell its tower businesses in Ghana and Uganda as Africa’s biggest mobile phone operator refocuses on high-growth markets on the continent and in the Middle East. 

According to sources, clashes with regulators in Nigeria, Uganda and elsewhere have curtailed growth in market share and revenue, which has prompted the company to announce a USD1 billion three-year asset-disposal plan. 
It should be noted that in Uganda alone, MTN has faced a lot of problems, which included the deportation of some of the Company’s senior officials due to disagreements with government.

For instance, MTN Uganda Chief Executive officer, Wim Vanhelleputte was early last year deported to Belgium for allegedly conspiring with other workers to record phone conversations of high ranking government officials and security chiefs.

Minister of Internal Affairs, Gen. Jeje Odongo ordered for the deportation of Vanhelleputte who had been in the position since August 2016. 

His deportation came days after the arrest and deportation of three other senior employees of the telecommunications giant including chief marketing officer, Olivier Prentout (French), mobile money general manager, Elsa Mussolini (Italian) and Annie Tabura (Rwandan) who was the general manager for sales and distribution at the telecom giant.  

According to a reliable source in security, intelligence operatives kept a keen eye on Vanhelleputte and even had his phones tapped immediately after the three employees were deported. 

Troubled MTN CEO Win Vanhelleputte

However, after negotiations between MTN and President Yoweri Museveni, Vanhelleputte was allowed back to Uganda as MTN C.E.O, although  life has never been the same for him since then and he is being keenly watched by security operatives.

MTN Tower in Ghana that was sold recently
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