The Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) is said to be in advanced talks regarding the acquisition of stakes held by the Egyptian state in a number of Egyptian companies, including Vodafone Egypt, Bloomberg reports. With it understood that a potential pact could be finalised by the end of 2022, it has been suggested that QIA could acquire 20% in Vodafone Egypt from Telecom Egypt. Sources familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified due to the confidential nature of the negotiations, did not identify the other companies that QIA could acquires stakes in, saying only that they were not listed on Egypt’s stock market.
Egypt’s sovereign wealth fund, the QIA and Telecom Egypt all declined to comment on the matter, however, while Vodafone Egypt spokesperson Ayman Essam was cited as saying only that his company was ‘not officially aware of the deal’.