Bharti Airtel makes largest ever Indian investment into Rwanda

Mobile telecommunications firm Bharti Airtel today announced that it will commence with operations in Rwanda. The company will invest US$100 million over the next three years, making it the largest ever investment by an Indian company into Rwanda.

“Rwanda is a key telecom market with immense growth potential and will strengthen Bharti Airtel’s footprint in East Africa,” commented Sunil Bharti Mittal, chairman and managing director of Bharti Airtel.

The company has been awarded a licence to operate 2G and 3G GSM services in Rwanda.

Bharti Airtel last year acquired the Sub-Saharan business of Kuwait-based mobile telecommunications company Zain. Entering the Rwandan market will expand its African footprint to 17 countries.

Bharti Airtel said in a statement that Rwanda is one of the continent’s fastest growing telecommunications markets. In July 2011 mobile penetration in Rwanda stood at 38.4%.

According to the recently published Doing Business in the East African Community 2011 report, Rwanda is the East African country that has improved its business regulatory environment the most over the past five years.