Three of Nigeria's mobile operators are among 13 companies that have expressed interest to buy a 75% equity stake in Nitel, the state-owned fixed-line telephone company, and its mobile-phone subsidiary Mtel.

Business Day reports Globacom, MTN and Etisalat joined 10 other bidders at the deadline for receipt of expressions of interest.

The ten other companies are: Omen International Limited (BVI), Summit Group, MTI Consortium, Finetek.com/Ericsson Consortium, MTNL Limited, Anas Network Services Limited, Telefonica Consortium, Metro PCS Communications Inc, Brymedia (W.A) Limited and Galaxy Backbone plc.

Prospective investors were invited to apply to acquire either a minimum of 75% equity in Nitel, or a stake in one of its components such as SAT-3; domestic fixed line telephony; national fibre-optic transmission backbone; CDMA network; Mtel; and Analog System (TACS).