France Telecom refocuses attention on Africa

France Telecom (FT) is again considering making acquisition in Africa, returning to its strategy of small deals in high growth emerging markets, according to its CEO.

Chief executive officer Didier Lombard said FT would focus on making acquisitions in English-speaking as well as French-speaking countries, and he predicted the company would not be overly affected by the global economic slowdown, even saying it could mean an increased pay-out to its shareholders.

France Telecom is present in 13 African countries, mostly in the French-speaking western parts of the continent, but last year made one of its most significant acquisitions of recent times on the continent by purchasing a controlling stake in Telkom Kenya, Kenya’s leading telecoms company, for US$390 million.