This archive report was first published on 8 January 2020.
On January 8, 2020, Orange officially opened its new Middle East and Africa operational head office in Morocco, located at the Casablanca Finance City Tower in the heart of Casablanca.
The new head office, spanning 900 square meters over two floors, will serve as a hub for Orange's teams in the region, enabling them to stay connected with other countries and monitor digital activity in real-time.
Alioune Ndiaye, CEO of Orange Middle East and Africa, expressed his pride in inaugurating the new head office, stating, "I am very proud to inaugurate alongside Stephane Richard and in the presence of all the members of the Orange Group's Executive Committee this new head office in Casablanca. It sends a highly symbolic message, a turning point in the history of the Group that provides further proof of our desire to be even closer to our customers and to make Orange MEA the preferred multi-services operator for people in Africa and the Middle East."
With an average annual growth rate of 6%, Orange MEA has demonstrated its economic and financial model's robustness, making it the leading region in terms of growth in the Orange Group. The company has given its subsidiary, Orange MEA, more autonomy since 2015 to grow its business in the region.
Alioune Ndiaye, appointed to head the subsidiary in May 2018, aims to establish a strong local foothold, essential for finding relevant responses that meet the needs of the African people. He has made a series of appointments of senior managers from countries in Africa and the Middle East.
Orange has 18,000 employees in the region, contributing significantly to GDP across its footprint: 8% in Cameroon, 8.2% in Guinea, 11% in Côte d'Ivoire, and 11.2% in Senegal. The company invests 1 billion euros annually in Africa and the Middle East to improve connectivity and network performance.
Orange plans to reinforce its multi-services strategy, with diversified services representing 20% of the business by the end of the Engage 2025 plan period. The company aims to achieve revenue of about 900 million euros from Orange Money and continue developing content, e-health, and energy offers.
Orange is present in 18 countries in Africa and the Middle East, with 125 million customers as of October 30, 2019. The region is a strategic priority for the company, with sales revenue of €5.2 billion in 2018. Orange Money, its mobile-based money transfer and financial services offer, is available in 17 countries and has 45 million customers.
Stéphane Richard, Chairman and CEO of Orange, added, "We have always been convinced of the immense potential of this region. In many ways, it can be seen as a model for digital transformation; mobile money is a great example of this. One of the key success factors behind new services is to develop them in Africa so that they are adapted to specific local requirements and so meet the needs of our customers."
