AFRICA AND THE MIDDLE EAST : Orange announces €5 billion investment plan under “Trust the Future”

In Casablanca, Orange outlined a new phase of its international expansion, placing Africa and the Middle East at the core of its growth strategy for the next three years. Through its “Trust the Future” roadmap, the French telecom operator seeks to strengthen its leadership in telecommunications while expanding its footprint in digital, financial, and technology-driven services.

Operating in 17 countries across the region, the group already serves more than 179 million mobile customers, supported by a workforce of 18,000 employees and a distribution network of around 1.5 million points of sale. The Africa and Middle East segment accounts for 12.2% of Orange’s total revenue and nearly 13.9% of its operating income in 2025, underscoring its growing contribution to overall performance.

To sustain this momentum, Orange plans to inject nearly €5 billion into infrastructure development. The strategy includes expanding network coverage through the rollout of 15,000 new rural sites, doubling fiber capacity, and enhancing international connectivity. The company also intends to invest in data centers to improve network resilience and service quality.

Beyond infrastructure, the group is focusing on scaling digital usage to drive value creation. Its super-app Max it is expected to reach 50 million users by 2028, up from approximately 25 million at the end of 2025. At the same time, Orange aims to add 20 million new users to its Orange Money platform, reinforcing its leadership in mobile financial services across the continent.

Artificial intelligence is another key pillar of the strategy. By integrating AI into network management and customer relations, the group expects to generate up to €600 million in additional value by 2028. These efforts are supported by ambitious commercial targets, including the acquisition of 40 million additional 4G and 5G customers and sustained growth in its business-to-business (B2B) services.

Recognizing the importance of human capital, Orange is placing strong emphasis on skills development. The group relies on its 53 Orange Digital Centers across 16 countries, as well as partnerships with 167 universities. To date, these initiatives have trained nearly 1.4 million young people and supported more than 450 startups, contributing to the emergence of a dynamic digital ecosystem.

In a context where mobile technology could account for more than 11% of sub-Saharan Africa’s GDP by 2030, according to projections by the GSMA, Orange aims to leverage its connectivity leadership to secure a dominant position in digital services. With “Trust the Future,” the group clearly signals its ambition to make Africa and the Middle East the main drivers of its future growth.

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Esther Grâce

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