Hungarian-based IT company 4iG has confirmed it has held talks over a potential expansion into the North Macedonian mobile market.

In an announcement last week, the company revealed that North Macedonia's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Transport, Aleksandar Nikoloski, held talks with Gellért Jászai, chairman of 4iG Group.

The company noted that Jászai "expressed strong interest in exploring opportunities to enter the North Macedonian telecommunications market to offer mobile and fixed services."

4iG already has a presence in the Balkans market, in Albania and Montenegro.

Last year, the group completed the merger of its Albanian telecom units ALBtelecom and ONE Telecommunications to create ONE Albania.

"We believe that 4iG's established track record in the telecommunications industry, combined with its regional expertise, can be effectively leveraged in the Macedonian market," said Nikoloski.

"This proposed initiative promises substantial benefits for both parties and could be particularly advantageous for the citizens of Macedonia, as both the country and 4iG Group share a common vision for a connected and digitally advanced society.”

According to 4iG, discussions centered around supporting North Macedonia's 2030 sustainable development plans, communication infrastructure projects, and the rollout of connectivity across urban and rural areas of the country.

“We are eager to contribute to the North Macedonian telecommunications sector and drive positive change through technology. To outline our ambition to enter the North Macedonian telecommunications market, in the next few weeks, we will start working with the Government to formalize our commitment and detail this relationship further," added Jászai.

North Macedonia is currently served by a number of mobile carriers, including T-Mobile, A1 Macedonia, Lycamobile (Only mobile services), and Telekabel.

Founded as Freesoft in 1990, Budapest Stock Exchange-listed 4iG provides a number of IT services including software development, managed services, and cybersecurity, as well as data center and cloud management offerings. In the last year, the company has expanded into new areas, founding its own satellite firm and buying both local satellite and telecoms firms.

4iG acquired Vodafone's Hungarian operations in 2022.