The project financing of Namibia's second mobile phone network has been finalised with work already underway to provide the African nation with greater competition in its telecoms provision

The funds will be used to establish a national network for Cell One in Namibia and sees a significant investment in the African country [Transactions Database].

The IFC board has already approved an investment of up to US$32.5 million in the cable which will run 10,000km from the continent's southern tip to the African horn, connecting:

• South Africa
• Mozambique
• Madagascar
• Tanzania
• Kenya
• Somalia
• Djibouti
• Sudan

Another 13 adjoining countries will also be linked to the system as terrestrial backbone networks are completed through a broader World Bank Group initiative.

These include:

• Botswana
• Burundi
• the Central African Republic
• the Democratic Republic of Congo
• Chad
• Ethiopia
• Lesotho
• Malawi
• Rwanda
• Swaziland
• Uganda
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe

With commitment of this scale to an east coast African project and bank keen to invest in telecoms projects in individual states, the future looks busy in the sector - primarily for mobile investments on a country-by-country basis.

The project at a glance