Orange, one of the world’s leading telecommunications operators with sales of 39 billion Euros in 2014 and 157,000 employees worldwide, today, announced the taking over of Cellcom Telecommunications Limited of Liberia, acquiring 100 percent of its subsidiary.
Orange said that it entered into a firm agreement with the Liberian telecom giant through its subsidiary Orange Côte d’Ivoire.
In an announcement, Orange said that it will provide its marketing expertise and world-class technical capability to further strengthen the network operator, enhance services to consumers and contribute to the economic growth of Liberia.
It assured that Cellcom’s founders and employees will remain involved in the business to ensure a smooth integration, support performance and continue long-standing relations with the Government of Liberia.
“This acquisition is part of the international development strategy of Orange, which aims to accelerate its growth by entering new emerging markets with high potential. This will enable Orange to strengthen its positions in Africa, which is a strategic priority for the Group.”
Orange said that Liberia is a country of over 4.3 million inhabitants, with a mobile penetration rate of 66 percent, lower than in many neighbouring countries.
It said that with a national mobile license and its significant market share in the country in number of subscribers, Cellcom has excellent potential for growth over the coming years.
The completion of the transaction, Orange said, remains subject to approval by the competent authorities.
Orange is one of the world’s leading telecommunications operators with sales of 39 billion euros in 2014 and 157,000 employees worldwide at 30 September 2015, including 98,000 employees in France. Present in 28 countries, the Group has a total customer base of 263 million customers worldwide at 30 September 2015, including 200 million mobile customers and 18 million fixed broadband customers. Orange is also a leading provider of global IT and telecommunication services to multinational companies, under the brand Orange Business Services. In March 2015, the Group presented its new strategic plan “Essentials2020” which places customer experience at the heart of its strategy with the aim of allowing them to benefit fully from the digital universe and the power of its new generation networks.
Orange is listed on Euronext Paris (symbol ORA) and on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol ORAN). [myad]
