MTN and Vodacom ‘show interest’ in Japanese firm

Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Corp has attracted competing interest from MTN and Vodacom for the African operations it acquired with the takeover of Dimension Data, according to sources.

Didata’s management is also said to be considering buying back the African business and relisting its shares. The main prize is Didata’s Internet Solutions unit, according to the sources, as the companies seek to tap growing demand for Webbased services.

MTN is said to be weighing an offer of US$600M to get Internet Solutions. It was revealed in June that NTT, the owner of Japan’s biggest cellphone company, was open to approaches from buyers for the African business.