Indian telecom major Bharti Airtel has selected selected global technology giant IBM to manage the computing technology and services running its newly acquired mobile networks in 16 African countries.

The strategic partnership will enable the telecom operator to scale up its network and systems to cater to more than 100 million African customers by 2012, said the company in a statement.

Bharti's chairman and chief executive, Sunil Mittal said the value of the 10-year deal will be disclosed when the agreement is finalised in the fourth quarter.

'At this point we wouldn't like to put any value, disclose any value. We have a sense of where we are but we will announce that at an appropriate time,' the billionaire founder of Bharti said Kenya's capital.

'There are huge opportunities throughout Africa to transform how people communicate and how communities interact. Delivering on that opportunity through affordable mobile communications for everyone is our focus,' he added.

IBM's chairman and chief executive, Samuel Palmisano, said at the same Press briefing the deal would pave the way to cheaper calling rates, thus spreading communication technology in Africa.