Vietnam’s largest mobile player Viettel announced plans to expand its international reach with investments in Indonesia and Nigeria, two highly-populated countries with growing data usage.

The military-run operator said the investments, the size of which weren’t disclosed, “would create conditions for Viettel to continue to expand its investments in other regions”.

GSMA Intelligence figures show Indonesia’s population stands at around 260 million with a SIM penetration rate of 131 per cent, and Nigeria 185 million citizens and SIM penetration of 82 per cent.

Viettel currently operates in nine overseas markets: Cambodia, Laos, East Timor, Burundi, Cameroon, Mozambique, Tanzania, Haiti and Peru. Operations in Myanmar are expected to begin in the first quarter of 2018.

The government of Myanmar in January awarded the country’s fourth mobile licence to a venture between Viettel and a consortium of local companies.

Viettel established Viettel Global as a subsidiary in 2016 to explore overseas investment opportunities. Viettel Global expects revenue this year to increase 29 per cent to $1.3 billion, Vietnam Economic Times reported.

The operator had 52 million subscribers in Vietnam at end-March, giving it a 37 per cent market share, according to GSMA Intelligence.

In April it officially launched 4G service across the country, claiming 95 per cent population coverage. Viettel said it also launched 4G services in Cambodia, Laos, East Timor, Burundi, Haiti and Peru.