MTN Côte d'Ivoire has announced that it has paid 75% of the cost of a new telecommunications operator unified license to the central African country's government.

A statement by the mobile operator explained that the GSM license expires on 1 April 2016 and "after 20 years of operation, the Government of Côte d'Ivoire had anticipated the allocation of the new telecommunications operator unified license as of 15 December 2015, by receiving the required advance payment representing 50% of the license cost amounting to CFAF 100 billion."

With the 75% payment the mobile operator obtains the extension of the operating term of the unified license for 17 years, for commissioning all services and products associated to 2G / 3G / 4G / LTE and upcoming new technologies.

Government representatives, including Prime Minister of the State of Cote d'Ivoire Daniel Kablan Duncan and the Minister of ICT and Postal Services and government spokesman Bruno KONE Nabagné, joined MTN Côte d'Ivoire executives at a ceremony to mark the handing over of the cheque.

According to MTN the CFAF 100 billion investment confirms its commitment to work as a key player for telecommunications development for the country's economy and its clients.