W.Afri.Tel 2007 to highlight business opportunities in world's fastest-growing cellphone market for 7th year straight.

Continuing explosive growth in Nigeria’s telecoms sector will ensure the same high level of support and attendance at this year's W.Afri.Tel expo say the organisers.
Now in its seventh year, W.Afri.Tel, the West African International Telecommunications and Information Technology Exhibition, held in Lagos in June every year has continually enjoyed rave reviews from exhibitors and visitors alike.
“The last three exhibitions have been completely sold out” says Gillian Pope, the exhibition manager, “and with our introduction this year, of a high level conference to support the expo we expect to post the “sold out” signs up much earlier in 2007.”
The introduction of a technical conference this year, implemented at the request of W.Afri.Tel participants, reflects the ongoing interest from the region in acquiring the latest technology.
Africa is now the world's leading area for cellular expansion.

One million per week

For example, in June 2005, the continent's 100-millionth GSM subscriber was connected. But only eleven months later there were 150 million GSM subscribers – and that number is growing by a million new users per week!
According to Devine Kofiloto, principal analyst for Informa Telecoms, Africa now has 165 million cellphone users with an average market-penetration of 18%.
“Of 472 million new users expected to join networks around the world this year, some 48 million will be in Africa,” says Kofiloto.
The Nigerian market is fast becoming the largest mobile market in Africa.
According to research house, BMI-T, the country's mobile subscriber base grew to 18,6 million at the end of 2005 and is expected to grow to over 37 million by 2008.
South African cellphone operator, MTN, recently announced it has upped its stake in Nigeria, where its business is currently reported to be around R40 billion (approximately US$ 5,7 bn.)
But it is not only the mobile telecoms sector in west Africa that is experiencing vertical growth.
From 1999 to 2003 connected lines increased from 700 000 to 2,8 million with more than 40 licensed telecommunication companies in the country.
Globacom, Nigeria's SNO, managed by a subsidiary of Deutche Telecom, will roll out an additional one million lines for mobile and fixed telephones in 32 towns and cities across the country. In addition, the company has undertaken to string 10 000 km of fibre-optic cables across Nigeria.

Showcase the latest technology

Voted the best trade exhibition in west Africa, W.Afri.Tel, will once again showcase the latest in telecommunications technology, mobile telephone services, service providers, satellite communication, information communication technology and allied industries.
“The world's major telecoms companies and suppliers will be there,” Pope says.
“But in addition, together with our local partner, IT & Telecoms Digest, we will run a cutting-edge conference at the same time as the exhibition.”
W.Afri.Tel continues to grow in stature.
Last year's event saw a 200% growth in visitor numbers and had exhibitors from Sweden, Denmark, Britain, Germany, Israel, the USA, South Africa and Luxembourg.
“W.Afri.Tel offers a wonderful opportunity for foreign and Nigerian companies to come together,” says Maher Qubain, CEO of Starcomms.
“There really is no other way to meet and interact with the region's telecom decision-makers, all in one place, at the same time,” says Pope.
“Over 40% of visitors to the expo were either managing directors or company CEOs and we are confident that, with the edition of a high-level conference, this number will grow even further.”

For further details or comment contact:

Gillian Pope
Exhibition Management Services
Tel: 011-783-7250
email: gp@exhibitionsafrica.com