MTN Group Ltd. said to be talking to buyers for its Afghanistan wireless business

JOHANNESBURG. MTN Group Ltd. is in talks with potential international buyers for its wireless business in Afghanistan, a bid to accelerate plans to exit the country, according to people familiar with the matter.

Africa’s biggest mobile-phone operator, the market leader in Afghanistan with a 40 per cent share, is in discussions with several parties, said the people, who asked not be identified as the negotiations are ongoing.

MTN announced just over a year ago a plan to exit countries in the Middle East over the medium term, enabling the Johannesburg-based company to focus on African markets. The carrier has since abandoned its operation in Syria, citing regulatory demands that made operating there untenable, though said last month it’s still evaluating options in Yemen and Afghanistan.