Multi-service operator Orange Middle East and Africa (OMEA) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a private sector-led development aid institution and member of the World Bank Group, have signed a partnership to sustainably strengthen digital access in eight African countries.
OMEA and IFC say they are joining forces to develop more inclusive and sustainable digital connectivity in often underserved areas of West and Central Africa, though the announcement does not seem to specify which eight countries will be targeted.
This partnership, agreed at the Africa CEO Forum held in Abidjan on 12 and 13 May, aims to mobilise the complementary expertise of both signatories. IFC says it will bring its expertise in development finance, while OMEA will capitalise on its local roots and strong network in the region.
The promise is that various (again so far unspecified) telecommunications infrastructure construction and deployment projects, involving towers, fibre and more, will be carried out in the target countries in the coming years.
IFC points out that this collaboration builds on initiatives it has already backed, such as supporting the first-ever securitisation in the telecommunications sector in West Africa and providing sustainable funding to Senegalese operator Sonatel. These two operations, for a total amount of approximately US$75 million in 2024, allow Sonatel to strengthen the country’s digital infrastructure and expand 4G coverage and fibre optic connectivity in rural areas of Senegal.
Together, the two partners say they aim to provide a replicable investment model aimed at bridging the digital divide, fostering financial inclusion, strengthening territorial resilience and creating jobs, particularly in the digital economy.
