The company had 17.6 million Egyptian mobile phone customers at the end of 2008, up almost a third on the end of 2007.

The disclosure means that Vodafone Egypt has 40 per cent of the country's mobile market, behind Mobinil, which is backed by France Telecom and the local Orascom Telecom, which has 19.2 million customers and 44 per cent of the market.

Egypt's third operator Etisalat Misr, the local subsidiary of the UAE's Etisalat, has 7 million customers and 16 per cent of the market.

Vodafone has not disclosed its revenues or profits for Vodafone Egypt, although it will update the market on the subsidiary's financial results after the end of its financial year, which ends on 31 March.