Tunisian government to auction 25% stake in Tunisiana

The Tunisian government plans to put its 25 per cent stake in number-one operator Tunisiana up for auction, reports Reuters.

Finance ministry official Slim Besbess said in a press conference that offers can only come from financial companies and investment funds and must be submitted by November 2. Operators and operator shareholders are forbidden from participating in the auction.

The stake being auctioned was confiscated from the Princesse Holding conglomerate controlled by the son of ousted Tunisian president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali.

Tunisiana won a US$135 million licence to launch 3G and fixed-line networks in the country in May.

The remaining 75 per cent stake in the operator is owned by Kuwaiti group Wataniya, which is majority owned by Qtel.

Tunisiana controls 53 per cent of the three-operator market. It has approximately seven million mobile connections, ahead of rivals Tunisie Telecom (4.5 million) and Orange (1.7 million).