Orange operates in 17 countries across the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region, with 16 of those in Africa. The company currently offers fiber internet services in 10 of these markets.

Orange Middle East and Africa (OMEA) reported 1.4 million fiber-optic internet subscribers in 2024, a 28% increase from 2023. The data comes from the company's 2024 Corporate Social Responsibility report, published July 3.

While OMEA did not specify the exact driver of this growth, the company invested $1.4 billion in its regional network during the year. This investment covered fixed, mobile, and next-generation technologies. The growth reflects a digital transformation with increasing demand for high-speed connectivity from both businesses and individuals. By the end of 2024, Orange had already extended fiber coverage to 4.9 million households in the region to meet this demand.

"For Orange, creating sustainable value first means enabling as many people as possible to access connectivity, an essential digital service. To achieve this, we deploy and operate fixed and mobile networks on a global scale, in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. For businesses, operators, and content providers, we offer an optimized global network and next-generation connectivity solutions," Orange Group stated in its 2024 integrated annual report.

Orange views fixed broadband, including ADSL, fiber, and radio networks, as a key growth driver in Africa and the Middle East. For example, in a July 2024 article, the company announced a 125 million euro ($145.5 million) investment in fixed networks by 2025. This investment aims to connect an additional 800,000 households to fiber, reaching a total of 1.3 million fiber customers in the region. An additional 100 million to 200 million euros were also planned to strengthen international connectivity infrastructure, particularly submarine cables.

Orange provides fiber internet services in 10 countries across Africa and the Middle East: Senegal, Mali, Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Liberia, Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The company's fixed internet customer base also includes 1.6 million households with 4G or 5G fixed wireless access and nearly one million households connected via ADSL.

Fixed broadband revenue in the region increased by 19.5% between 2023 and 2024. This contributed to Orange OMEA's total revenue of 7.683 billion euros, an 11.1% increase from 2023. The region accounted for 19% of the Orange Group's total revenue.

Isaac K. Kassouwi