Bharti Airtel is set to acquire Essar Group’s telecom licences and subscribers in Kenya. Safarcom, a leading Kenyan operator will buy Essar Telecom’s infrastructure. Size of the deal is about $100 million.

“Airtel Networks Kenya Limited has sought an approval from the Communications Authority of Kenya to acquire the telecommunications licenses and subscribers of Essar Telecom Kenya Limited, which operates under the brand name 'yuMobile," said Airtel in a statement issued on Tuesday. “The proposed arrangement envisages over 2.7 million customers of Essar Telecom Kenya becoming part of Airtel Kenya's mobile network.”

With this, Essar will exit telecom business. Last month, it sold its Mumbai operations (technically owned by Khaitan’s) to Airtel for Rs 700 crore.

In an application filed on Tuesday, yuMobile said that it was engaged in substantive talks with "two potential suitors" who are willing to take over its subscriber base and assets.

Last year, Essar exited from telecom business in India by selling its 33 per cent stake to Vodafone in Vodafone Essar, now Vodafone India, for $5 billion.