The government of Chad plans to sell 80% of its shares in Groupe SOTEL, in a bid to improve connectivity services across the country.
“I am pleased to announce the intention of the government of the Republic of Chad to privatise, through an international tender process, Groupe SOTEL Tchad, the incumbent telecoms operator,” Daoussa Déby Itno, the minister of post and new information technologies in the country, confirmed.
Government officials hope that the privatisation of SOTEL will allow the company to deliver improved internet access and mobile services in Chad, as well as play a greater role in restructuring ICT in the country.
“By privatising this telecoms entity, the government intends to liberalise the telecom sector, in order to mobilise all the required energy to provide consumers with quality products in a competitive and open framework, particularly essential products such as broadband internet, quality voice transmissions and other applications at reasonable costs,” Itno said.
The government will retain a minority share of the company and has indicated than rather than looking for an investor, it wants a buyer who will invest money into the company and grow its equity.
Interested parties have until February 21 to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). The government said it would consider a consortium of investors.
