Vodafone on Thursday secured a 70 per cent stake in Ghana Telecom for $900m, (£454) in the latest sign of the UK mobile operator’s appetite for Africa’s fast-growing telecoms markets.

Arun Sarin, Vodafone’s outgoing chief executive, said in a statement: ”Ghana is one of the most attractive markets in Africa with mobile subscribers growing at more than 55 per cent a year and mobile penetration around 35 per cent. Our extensive operating experience together with our portfolio of products and services position us well to deliver a superior mobile experience to Ghanaian customers and significantly improve financial performance.”