The largest mobile operator in India, Bharti Airtel on Tuesday announced that it has completed the sale of about 8,300 mobile towers, representing close to 60 per cent of its total tower base in Africa for $1.7 billion. With this, the operator has completed the sale of all its towers in seven countries on the continent – Uganda, Kenya, Zambia, Rwanda, Congo B, Ghana and Nigeria.
The operator which has around 14,000 mobile towers in Africa has decided to exit the tower business as means of reducing its debt that was incurred when it bought the Kuwait-based Zain's assets in the region in 2010.
In another development, the operator on Friday said that the deal to sell over 3,500 telecom towers in Africa to Eaton Towers had lapsed and stands terminated. Last September, Airtel signed an agreement with Eaton to sell 3,500 telecom towers and lease back the towers in 6 countries across its African operations.
