Bharti Group founder and CEO Sunil Mittal (pictured) says the Indian firm will pump a further US$1 billion into its fledgling African mobile businesses this year, announcing that it has finally received the necessary regulatory approvals in all 16 countries on the continent that it entered last year. Bharti Airtel acquired Kuwait-based Zain’s African operations for US$10.7 billion, the largest-ever takeover by an Indian firm. “We have already invested US$11 billion here and have committed nearly US$1 billion investment for this year for expansion of our networks [in Africa],” said Sunil Mittal, reports the Economic Times. But he appeared to rule out further expansion into other African countries. “At the moment we are focusing on our 16 countries and for any future expansion in Africa, we will see as the opportunities come, as there is nothing on the table at the moment.”

According to the report, in its last fiscal year (2010-11), Bharti reported a net loss of INR480 crore (US$97.7 million) at its Africa operations on revenues of INR13,083 crore (US$3 billion). At the end of the firm’s fiscal fourth quarter (ending 31 March), it had 44.2 million African subscribers, which included quarterly net additions of 2.1 million. ARPU for the African unit was US$7.2 per month. Sunil Mittal noted that some of the African businesses were doing better than others: “Out of [the] 16 countries, many are very profitable; most of them are profitable. As far as Africa is concerned, we have to grow in Nigeria, we have to grow in Ghana, Uganda, Kenya – there are few countries where we have to step up.”