Through the acquisition, Orange has obtained Burkina Faso’s second largest operator which has close to 4.6 million customers/FILE
NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 23 – Orange telecom has finalised the acquisition of mobile operator Airtel in Burkina Faso.
Through the acquisition, Orange has obtained Burkina Faso’s second largest operator which has close to 4.6 million customers.
The deal follows a signature agreement with Bharti Airtel international in January.
“We are pleased to announce that the acquisition of the mobile operator Airtel in Burkina Faso has been finalized. This new acquisition will further strengthen the Group’s positions on the African continent,” said Deputy CEO of the Orange Group Bruno Mettling.
Orange will therefore inherit Airtel’s mobile financial market, where it is the uncontested leader.
It also takes up the position of being the leading internet provider where Airtel was also leading thanks to its extensive 3.75G network.
“With 18 million inhabitants and a relatively high mobile penetration rate for the region – 80 percent of the population – Burkina Faso becomes the 20th country in Africa and the Middle East to join the Orange group,” he added.
Orange further says that the its investments in the coming years will enable customers in Burkina Faso to take advantage of the Orange group’s expertise and momentum in terms of innovation and development of the digital ecosystem, thus responding to a strong expectation from customers in Burkina Faso.
The acquisition comes at a time when Orange has exited the Kenyan market, as Airtel Kenya continues to enlarge its market share.
