MTN Rwanda to spend $100m in 09

MTN Rwanda is to spend $100 million (R1 billion) in 2009 to counter competition from new players, says The East African.

The Rwandan mobile operator's COO Andrew Rugege says capital expenditure would rise from $60 million (R612 million) in 2008 to $100 million in 2009 to reach its target of two million subscribers. MTN Rwanda already boasts a national geographical coverage of 82%.

MTN Rwanda has also changed its numbering plan to conform to the East African telecommunication coding standard. The result will be a new 10-digit number as required by the regional standards, replacing the current eight-digit number.

Chams Nigeria has pumped 350 million Naira (R28 million) into its data centre, reports IT News Africa.

The electronic solutions company says the investment in its Lagos and Abuja-based data centre was made through its newly-created subsidiary ChamsAccess, which board was inaugurated recently.

“ChamsAccess Limited was born out of the need to bridge the perceived information gap in the country and to provide the consuming public with the quality and convenience of services they deserve,” says Chams chairman Adebayo Akinde.

African heads of state will consider Equatorial Guinea's bid to host a facility to monitor and analyse African science and technology (S&T) activity, states All Africa.

The African Science, Technology and Innovation Observatory would be the continent's central repository for S&T statistics and the main source of policy advice for bodies such as the African Ministerial Council for Science and Technology (AMCOST).

The bid will be discussed by the African Union presidential assembly, taking place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, this week.