Eaton Towers, the leading independent telecommunications tower company in Africa, announced that it has raised $350-million in new equity resources from existing and new shareholders, to fund expansion and acquisitions across Africa.
On the back of the equity raise, Eaton Towers has signed the first independent tower deal in Egypt, with the purchase, leaseback and management of over 2 000 Mobinil towers.
Capital Group Private Markets, the controlling shareholder of Eaton Towers through its sixth global emerging markets private equity fund, DPI a leading pan-African private equity fund and Eaton Towers management all invested additional equity. They are joined by new shareholders: a consortium led by Ethos Private Equity, a leading South African fund manager with a 30-year track record, and Standard Chartered Private Equity.
The agreement with Mobinil, part of the Orange Group, a leading mobile operator in Egypt, consists of the purchase of approximately 2,000 towers with a 15-year leaseback contract for the operation and maintenance, and additional build out of new sites.
Terry Rhodes, CEO Eaton Towers, says:
“We are very pleased that our existing and new shareholders support our strategy and vision to create a market-leading, independent, pan-African tower company. We are delighted to sign the first purchase and leaseback tower deal in Egypt. Egypt is the second largest mobile market in Africa and we will invest over $200-million to provide world-class shared infrastructure to help the Egyptian operators provide better coverage and data services to their customers.
“Once the Mobinil deal and the agreements with Bharti Airtel for six countries signed and announced last September are completed, Eaton Towers will be operational in eight countries, representing the most diversified portfolio of shared infrastructure on the African continent.”