Celtel Uganda officially changes name to Zain

Mobile telecommunications operator Zain Group has officially announced the change of brand name from Celtel to Zain in 14 African countries.

In Kampala, Zain Uganda's managing director, Yesse Oenga, said Zain Group anticipates becoming one of the top 10 global players in the telecom sector by 2010.

Within a month, Zain will have fully replaced the original branding of the company, he added.

Haitian-born American rapper Wyclef Jean performed for a large crowd of delirious Zain customers in Uganda as part of a celebration to mark the company's change of name and brand image.

Speaking during an international press conference at the National Museums of Kenya in Nairobi, Zain Group CEO Dr. Saad Al Barrak said the company is keen on listing on the stock exchanges in its countries of operation to give locals a slice of ownership in the company.

From now on, he added, Zain's 50 million subscribers will enjoy borderless communication between Africa and the Middle East.

"This truly is a defining moment in the history of global telecommunications. The connecting of One Network across two continents demonstrates how under one brand, Zain is able to offer enhanced mobile telephony services," Al Barrak said.

Countries included in the rebranding are Burkina Faso, Chad, the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Niger, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. Nigeria was the first country to undergo the change in February.

The company also announced plans to launch operations in Ghana later this year.