Orange believes it would benefit from having a wider footprint in Africa and will give itself a few months to make a possible move, CEO Stephane Richard told Les Echos. Richard declined to comment on a possible interest in South Africa’s MTN Group. He said it could make sense to be in economies such as Nigeria and South Africa. According to the newspaper, “if one considers there are things to do, the time frame I am considering is rather a few months than a few years.”
The Middle East and Africa, where Orange has a presence in eighteen countries, is the company’s fastest-growing market. Orange said earlier this year it was bringing its operations in the Middle East and Africa into a single entity, paving the way for a potential listing of the operations that could raise cash to invest in overseas expansion. Richard said Orange would also be looking at bolstering partnerships with health companies or institutions.
