From an idea pursued by one entrepreneur at a time when many investors viewed Africa as too risky, Celtel grew into one of the continent's most influential telecommunications companies, helping to underpin more than $13 billion in landmark industry transactions.
In an interview with Business Insider Africa, Sir Mohammed Fathi Ahmed Ibrahim, better known as Mo Ibrahim, reflected on the lessons he learned from building Celtel and why he remains convinced that Africa is one of the world's most compelling investment destinations.
For good reason, few entrepreneurs are better placed to make that argument.
The Celtel founder raised more than $415 million within five years to build a mobile operator that expanded across 13 African countries and helped bring telecommunications services to millions of people.
By 2004, the company had 5.2 million customers, generated $614 million in revenue and posted a net profit of $147 million.
