Millicom wins Rwanda mobile licence

Millicom International Cellular has won Rwanda's third mobile phone licence, expanding its central African presence to three neighbouring countries, reports Reuters.

Rwanda's population of just over nine million has two telecoms companies serving a combined subscriber base of about 850 000 people. With such low penetration, Rwanda says its telecoms market is ready for expansion.

The emerging markets telecoms firm, which operates in neighbouring Tanzania and Democratic Republic of Congo, says it will own 87.5% of a new joint venture with local company Marathon. The partnership will pay $60 million for a 15-year licence.

Zain's CEO in Nigeria, Bayo Ligali, and its Africa operation were both honoured at the 2008 Nigerian Information Technology and Telecom Awards (NITTA) in Lagos over the weekend, says IT News Africa.

Ligali was awarded the Telecom Personality of the Year while Zain won the Pan African Telecom Operator of the Year.

Ligali was once again under the spotlight after being awarded a similar honour three months ago for what the organisers of the awards described as an outstanding performance including steering Zain Nigeria on a growth path during the year.

A Trojan virus has infected and destroyed more than 500 000 online bank accounts and affected several thousands credit cards in Nigeria and other countries in the developed world, states IT News Africa.

The virus's origin is yet to be established but security experts say it was first detected in 2006 in the US, UK, Australia and Poland.

According to a local daily newspaper in Nigeria, the virus has been under close scrutiny but no solution has been forthcoming.