Soccer star Samuel Eto'o
Samuel Eto’o, a Cameroonian striker and the world’s highest paid African soccer star, is now trying to become Africa’s newest telecoms tycoon.
The four-time African player of the year, who in August signed a record $28 million-a-year deal with Russian soccer club Anzhi Makhachkala, is preparing to launch his own mobile phone network in his home country, Ghana’s Peace FM has reported.
His company is called Set’Mobile- a name derived from the footballer’s initials, and currently has a capital base of $180,000. It will be Cameroon’s third mobile network and will compete with established telecom giants operating in the country, including Orange Telecom of France and South Africa’s MTN. Set’Mobile is planning to provide affordable access to mobile communications and Internet services to citizens.
Set’Mobile is poised to become a runaway success. Despite launching only yesterday (Thursday), the startup has already sold over 50,000 SIM cards, even though the network doesn’t go live until January 21-the opening day of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations.
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