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ISSUE NO 57 NEWS ROUND-UP & SNIPPETS

INCREDIBLE CONNECTION SIGNS UP WITH M-WEB

Incredible Connection has announced that it had signed a deal with M-Web Business Solutions that sees the functional and design overhaul of their online offering, and the relocation of SA’s largest consumer technology retailer to the "highly trafficked M-Web shopping environment".

(source: http://www.boot.co.za/news/apr01/mweb24.asp )

NIGERIA’S OBASANJO SETS SEPTEMBER DEADLINE FOR NITEL PRIVATISATION

Nigeria’s President Obasanjo has set September 2000 as the deadline for the privatisation of Nigeria’s state-owned telco, NITEL. Obasanjo’s position on NITEL’s privatisation was made public at his recent meeting with the National Council on Privatisation (NCP). At the meeting, the president underscored the urgent need to have NITEL privatised as "the exercise would send the right signal to both local and foreign investors about the seriousness of government on the privatisation programme". The government has halted NITEL’s negotiations for a joint venture with Dutch-based Mobile Systems International as being inconsistent with a desire for a fully privatised company. As with much else in Nigeria, there is often a gap between timetabled intentions and speed of action but we await further announcements with interest.

(sources: various)

SA’S COMAIR SELLS EXCESS INVENTORY ONLINE

Amorphous New Media, a South African digital design agency, has provided Comair with an online mechanism to sell their excess inventory online. "e-savers is designed to provide Comair with an online device to sell distressed inventory in a quick and cost-effective way," says Lara Holing, sales and client services director at Amorphous New Media.

(source: Boot http://www.boot.co.za/news/apr01/amorphous23.asp )

MGX IS APPOINTED SUN’S FIRST AFRICAN STORAGE DEVELOPMENT PARTNER

Sun Microsystems SA has announced the appointment of MGX as its first storage market development partner, bringing to market a new Sun initiative focusing on storage, currently the IT industry’s highest growth area in ICT spend. MGX is Sun’s first SMDP appointment in Africa.

(source: Boot http://www.boot.co.za/news/apr01/microsystems24.asp )

EGYPT: THIRD MOBILE TELCO SOON

Chairman of Telecom Egypt Aqeel Bashir has announced that the establishment of a third mobile service provider will be initiated in six months. Telecom Egypt will choose an anchor investor fairly soon, he said. State-owned Telecom Egypt is expected to strike a deal with an international bank within a week to help it identify an appropriate strategic investor.

(Middle East Times 2001 via DigAfrica)

AFSAT AGREEMENT SIGNED IN TRIPOLI

An agreement to set up the African satellite company , Afsat, was signed in Tripoli between the African Regional Organization for Satellite Communications, the Libyan General Post and Telecommunications Company and the French Company Alcatel Espace. The project aims at providing all parts of Africa with telephone services and internet, in addition to radio and television broadcasts.

(source: BBC Online)

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