(Ecofin Agency) - The Nigerian mobile operator Emerging Markets Telecommunications Services Limited (EMTS), known as 9Mobile, secured an 82.8 billion naira ($230 million) loan from Lagos-based Africa Finance Corporation (AFC).

Funds will be provided in two instalments. The first will be used to pay back the company’s lenders and the second will support its expansion strategy. 9Mobile was mainly controlled by Emirati group Etisalat Telecommunications Company which finally divested its share following a failure to restructure a $1.2 billion debt dated back to 2013. The terms of the agreement with AFC are not disclosed but since the year started, the pan-African group have already carried out 5 interventions for about €1 billion.

Let’s note the Africa Finance Corporation is a pan-African multilateral finance institution created in 2007 to shut down the infrastructure investment gap on the continent.

Idriss Linge