MTN Cote d’Ivoire renews telecom operators unified license

MTN officials at the handover of the partial payment in Côte d’Ivoire. Image Credit: rumeursdabidjan MTN officials at the handover of the partial payment in Côte d’Ivoire. Image Credit: rumeursdabidjan
MTN officials at the handover of the partial payment in Côte d’Ivoire. Image Credit: rumeursdabidjan

MTN Cote d’Ivoire announces partial payment of the new telecommunications operators unified license cost.

MTN Côte d’Ivoire today announced that the company has paid 75% of the new telecommunications operator unified license acquisition cost to the Government of Cote d’Ivoire.

Indeed, given that the GSM license expires on 1 April 2016, after 20 years of operation, the Government of Côte d’Ivoire had anticipated the allocation of the new telecommunications operator unified license as of 15 December 2015, by receiving the required advance payment representing 50% of the license cost amounting to CFAF 100 billion.

By paying 75%, which is above the required 50% minimum, MTN CI obtains the extension of the operating term of the unified license for 17 years, for commissioning all services and products associated to 2G / 3G / 4G /  LTE and upcoming new technologies.

The CFA F 75 billion cheque handing over ceremony took place on 15 December 2015 at 19:30 at the premises of the Prime Minister in the presence of Mr. Daniel Kablan Duncan, Prime Minister of the State of Cote d’Ivoire, Mr. Bruno KONE Nabagné, the Minister of ICT and Postal Services and Government Spokesman, the CEO of MTN Côte d’Ivoire and CEOs of all operators concerned by the renewal of their licenses.

For MTN, this CFA F 100 billion investment confirms its commitment to work as a key player for telecommunications development for the Cote d’Ivoire economy and its clients.

Through this new license opportunity, MTN Côte d’Ivoire is consolidating its positioning as the leading provider of the bold new digital world to the Ivorian market.