Orange, France’s biggest telecom operator, may launch in either Nigeria or South Africa in the coming months as it plans to expand its footprint across Africa.
Chief Executive Officer Stephane Richard told Les Echos business newspaper in an interview saying: “It could make sense to be in economies such as Nigeria and South Africa. If one considers there are things to do, the time frame I am considering is rather a few months than a few years.”
Asked whether Orange would consider buying a stake in MTN, Richard declined to answer. Despite this, Orange and MTN Group have previously partnered to launch an African mobile payment company, Mowali.
Orange currently has 208 million subscribers. If Orange expands into either Nigerian and South Africa, it will bring it into direct competition with MTN which is the largest communication network in Africa with 257 million subscribers.
