Millicom wins third mobile licence in Rwanda

Millicom International Cellular won the auction for Rwanda’s third mobile licence, with a bid of US$60 million.

Millicom’s US$60 million Rwandan licence will extend the company’s operations to eight African countries

Millicom said it beat three other bidders for the 15-year licence, and will own 87.5 per cent of a new joint venture with local company Marathon Corporation.

Rwanda has 10 million inhabitants, and is located between Millicom’s existing operations in Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania. The mobile penetration rate stands at only nine per cent and is currently served by Rwandatel and MTN.

“It is a country with great potential for mobile telephony as it is a very densely populated country with low mobile penetration, which will enable us to build out a network quickly and economically, and its strategic position between our operation in Tanzania and DRC offers potential operational synergies,” stated president and CEO of Millicom, Marc Beuls.

“Rwanda will be Millicom’s eighth country of presence in Africa and will strengthen our overall position in the continent, which we believe will be the fastest growing part of Millicom’s business in the coming years.”