Orange has announced a host of new deals, acquiring the leading mobile operator in Liberia and the acquisition of Airtel’s operations in Burkina Faso and Sierra Leone.

Orange will provide its marketing expertise and technical capability to further strengthen the network operator, enhance services to consumers and contribute to the economic growth of Liberia.

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, two months after it announced the sale of its 70 per cent stake in Telkom Kenya.

Liberia has a population of over 4.3 million inhabitants and a mobile penetration rate of 66%, lower than in many neighboring countries. 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.

In a separate deal Orange have signed an agreement leading to Orange’s acquisition of Airtel’s operations in Burkina Faso and Sierra Leone. The consolidated revenue of the two companies is around 275 million euros. These acquisitions will be implemented in partnership with Orange’s subsidiaries in the Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal.

Through this deal with Airtel, Orange will reinforce its presence in Africa with two additional countries, adding almost 5.5 million customers to its mobile customer base.