French telecom giant completes acquisition of Airtel Burkina Faso

folarin okunola

June 23, 2016 10:46 AM

Airtel is the second largest mobile operator in Burkina Faso with close to 4.6 million customers.

People walk past a new shop of French telecom operator Orange, which was previously known as Mobinil, in Cairo, Egypt, April 6, 2016. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh

In July of 2015, Bharti Airtel entered into an agreement with French-based mobile operator, Orange, to sell its operations in four countries - Chad, Congo Brazzaville, Sierra Leone, and Burkina Faso.

Orange has now announced that it has completed the acquisition of Airtel operation in Burkina Faso.

Airtel is the second largest mobile operator in Burkina Faso with close to 4.6 million customers. Airtel is also the leader in the mobile financial services market and is already interoperable with Orange Money in neighboring countries allowing international money transfers to be made.

ALSO READ: Orange invests in Jumia's parent company

Burkina Faso currently has 18 million inhabitants and a region-high mobile penetration rate (80% of the population). The country is now the 20th nation in Africa and the Middle East to join the Orange Group.

“We are pleased to announce that the acquisition of the mobile operator Airtel in Burkina Faso has been finalised. This new acquisition will further strengthen the Group’s positions on the African continent,” said Bruno Mettling, deputy CEO of the Orange Group and chairman & CEO of Orange MEA.

The acquisition in Burkina Faso, which is one of the countries with the strongest growth rates in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), further strengthens Orange's African presence.

folarin okunola