Airtel Africa PLC has on Wednesday, June 2, said that it has agreed to sell Airtel Tanzania’s tower portfolio to a joint venture owned by a subsidiary of SBA Communications Corp. and Paradigm Infrastructure Ltd. for $175 million.
SBA Communications is an independent owner and operator of wireless communications infrastructure, while the UK-based Paradigm Infrastructure is focused on developing, owning and operating shared wireless infrastructure in selected growth markets.
The UK listed, Africa-focused telecommunications operator said this is the latest strategic divestment of its tower portfolio as part of its shift to an asset-light business model focused on its core subscriber-facing operations.
Airtel Tanzania’s tower portfolio comprises around 1,400 towers, which form part of the group’s wireless telecommunications infrastructure network.
As per the agreement, the group’s subsidiary Airtel Tanzania Plc will continue to develop, maintain and operate its equipment on the towers under a separate lease arrangement with the buyer companies.
The transaction is the latest strategic divestment of Airtel’s tower portfolio as it focuses on an asset-light business model and on its core subscriber-facing operations.
Of the entire deal amount, $157.5 million will be payable on the first closing date, which will be in the second half of the group’s current financial year.
The balance amount is payable in instalments upon the completion of the transfer of any remaining towers to the buyer companies. As per Airtel, it’ll invest around $60 million from the proceeds on network and sales infrastructure in Tanzania and for distribution to the Tanzania government. The rest of the amount will be used to reduce debt at the group level.
Airtel’s Africa deals in telecommunications and mobile money services across 14 countries in Africa including Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria Zambia among others.