• IFC grants €80M loan to Orange Mali to expand digital infrastructure
  

• Funds to add 300 4G antennas, connect 300,000 homes, promote solar energy
  

• Project backs digital inclusion, targets rural areas and women’s participation
  

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the World Bank’s private sector arm, announced on Monday, Nov. 17, an 80 million euro ($92.7 million) loan to Orange Mali SA. The funding will help modernize Mali’s telecommunications infrastructure, expand broadband coverage and improve access to digital financial services.

“This partnership strengthens our commitment to digital inclusion and broader telecom access. With the IFC’s support, we will extend network coverage, improve its resilience and enable more Malians to benefit from the opportunities of the digital economy,” said Aboubacar Sadikh Diop, CEO of Orange Mali.

The financing package includes 50 million euros from the IFC’s own resources and 30 million euros provided by the West African Development Bank (BOAD). The investment will support the installation of 300 new 4G antennas and the rollout of a fiber network that will connect around 300,000 households and small businesses, nearly half of them in rural areas.

The project also features digital training programs aimed at having women represent 70 percent of participants by 2032, contributing to greater digital inclusion. Orange Mali will also replace its diesel generators with solar systems, a shift expected to cut annual CO2 emissions by more than 8,000 tonnes.

This investment is the first made under the partnership signed between the IFC and Orange Middle East and Africa (OMEA) during the Africa CEO Forum in Abidjan in May 2025. It supports Mali’s Mali Digital 2020 strategy and the World Bank Group’s Digital Economy for Africa initiative, which aim to use technology to create jobs, strengthen resilience and promote sustainable development.

Mali has prioritized rural connectivity in recent years. A separate agreement between Intelsat and Orange Mali recently enabled 360,000 residents in remote areas to gain internet access. Still, significant gaps persist. According to a DataReportal report published on Nov. 8, Mali had 8.91 million internet users at the end of 2025, representing 35.1 percent of the population.

The new funding is expected to allow Orange Mali, the country’s leading operator with more than 12 million subscribers, to accelerate network expansion, improve connectivity in underserved regions and broaden digital access. It will also support the growth of online services already available in Mali, including telemedicine, digital education and mobile financial services.

Samira Njoya