Abuja — Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Dr Christopher Anyanwu, has assured that the renewed sale of moribund Nigeria Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) to a new core investor would be concluded by January next year.

Anyanwu said this yesterday in Abuja while addressing newsmen at a workshop on Privatisation Support Project organised by the bureau in collaboration with the World Bank.

He said the new timetable for the sale is expected to be given necessary approval by the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) who meets next week. According to him, companies that bided for the telecom outfit are now doing due diligence on its facilities.

NITEL is in the market again for resale after three previous botched attempts that has left it at its lowest ebb.

Last month, the BPE, following the advice of the National Communications Commission had disqualified existing GSM operators from participating in the acquisition of the mobile arm of NITEL, arguing that it will stifle competition and promote undue monopoly on the telecom industry.

Speaking on the World Bank's Privatisation Support Project (PSP), Anyawu said there was need for the bank to shift focus to helping the country develop indigenous capacity rather than the bank providing its own expertise.

He said: "What we pay for advisers and consultants can better be utilised to employ qualified staff from the country who after adequate capacity building can take control of our infrastructure. Let future cooperation be on how to teach us how to fish rather than giving us fish."

"I would like to support a partnership that will promote indigenous investors and talents for self sustenance. They keep telling us how it is done in Holland and South Africa. They should support us in advancing our indigenous creativity."