The French telecommunications powerhouse Orange has crossed the landmark threshold of 300 million customers worldwide, a feat largely attributed to robust expansion in Africa and the Middle East, as the region continues to anchor the group’s profitability for the tenth consecutive quarter. This milestone follows the addition of 8.2 million new subscribers in the third quarter of 2025, with double-digit revenue increases from high-growth markets propelling the company forward. According to TechAfrica News, the achievement comes just one week after rival MTN Group, Africa’s pre-eminent mobile operator, also reached the 300 million mark, underscoring the continent’s pivotal role in the global telecom surge.
Orange’s chief executive, Christel Heydemann, described the quarter’s outcomes as evidence of the company’s resilient foundations and strategic discipline, which have enabled consistent performance amid economic fluctuations. She expressed appreciation for the workforce’s dedication, noting that the customer base expansion highlights Orange’s dominant position in the industry. The Africa and Middle East division emerged as the standout performer once more, marking the tenth straight quarter of double-digit revenue growth. Revenues in this segment climbed 12.2% year-on-year to €2.1 billion ($2.29 billion), propelled by vigorous demand in mobile data (up 18.1%), Orange Money (up 17.4%), and fixed broadband (up 18.2%), as detailed in GlobeNewswire.
Heydemann emphasised the transformative impact of mobile financial services, with Orange Money now serving 44.2 million active users—a 19.2% increase from the previous year—while the total mobile subscriber base in Africa and the Middle East expanded by 8% to 172.9 million. This growth not only bolsters revenue streams but also fosters financial inclusion across underserved communities, where digital payments have become a cornerstone of economic empowerment. As reported by TelecomLead, eleven of Orange’s sixteen operations in the region achieved double-digit growth, reflecting Africa’s enduring appetite for innovative connectivity solutions despite challenges like currency volatility and infrastructure hurdles.
The group’s overall EBITDAaL rose 3.7% in the quarter to €3.4 billion, with margins expanding by 0.7 percentage points, prompting an upward revision of the full-year growth forecast to at least 3.5% from the prior 3%. This adjustment aligns with sustained investments in network upgrades, including a 20% rise in 4G adoption to 88.4 million users and a 23% increase in fixed broadband subscribers to 4.6 million. Heydemann credited these results to the effective implementation of the Lead the Future initiative, which prioritises mobile connectivity and digital payments from markets like Senegal to Tanzania, thereby cementing Africa’s centrality to Orange’s profitability trajectory, per Mobile World Live.
Orange’s success mirrors the explosive growth of Africa’s digital economy, projected to reach $180 billion by 2025, driven by a youthful population—over 60% under 25—and smartphone penetration exceeding 50% in urban areas, according to Statista. The company’s focus on business-to-business services, which grew 9.3% in the quarter, has further diversified revenue, supporting enterprise solutions in sectors like agriculture and e-commerce. In parallel, capital expenditure surged 8.3% to fuel infrastructure in high-potential regions, with telecom investments holding steady at 14.7% of revenues, in line with annual targets, as noted in The Manila Times. Globally, Orange’s retail services advanced 2.6%, though wholesale and equipment sales faced headwinds, resulting in a modest 0.8% group revenue increase to €10.83 billion.
Comparatively, MTN’s parallel milestone highlights intensifying competition, with both operators navigating regulatory landscapes and data localisation mandates across 20-plus African nations. Orange’s edge lies in its integrated ecosystem, blending telecom with fintech; for instance, Orange Money transactions hit €15 billion in the first nine months of 2025, up 22% year-on-year, facilitating remittances and merchant payments in markets like Côte d’Ivoire and Jordan. Challenges persist, including a 5.2% dip in wholesale revenues due to global pricing pressures, yet the company’s churn rate improved by two points in key markets, bolstering customer loyalty, per MEA TechWatch.
As telecom giants like Orange and MTN vie for dominance, Africa’s digital boom—fueled by 5G rollouts and AI-enhanced services—promises sustained momentum. With eCAPEX up 5.4% over nine months to support this expansion, Orange is well-positioned to capitalise on the continent’s 1.4 billion population, where mobile money accounts for 40% of GDP in sub-Saharan economies. Heydemann’s vision positions the group not merely as a connectivity provider but as a catalyst for socioeconomic resilience, ensuring Africa’s narrative remains integral to Orange’s global narrative.