THE Nigerian subsidiary of South Africa’s mobile phones group MTN is among five companies qualified to bid for three phone licences to be auctioned here next week. The other four successful bidders are Econet Wireless Nigeria Ltd; United Networks Mobile Ltd; Communication Investments Ltd; (CIL) and MSI-Celtel Nigeria Ltd. Three new licences to operate mobile phone networks will be auctioned next week at a reserved price of $100m each. The fourth licence is reserved for state-run telecoms company M-Tel, which is to be privatised. Nigeria is considered by telecoms experts a market with major potential for expansion for mobile operators. Out of a population of more than 120 million, currently only four in 1 000 people have access to telecommunications and mobile networks are patchy and expensive. – AFP