Orange has been one of the most expansionist operators in Africa, particularly the French-speaking north and west regions. However, it aims to slow the pace of acquisition and rely on partnerships instead, to expand its current footprint in 21 countries any further. MNOs in Africa increasingly need to reduce costs in a low margin region, particularly by sharing investment in infrastructure, said Bruno Mettling, Orange’s deputy CEO in charge of operations for Africa and the Middle East. Addressing the CEO Africa conference in Ivory Coast capital Abidjan, he said: “That’s what we’re doing in sharing our network, our infrastructure with other partners, to optimize the expenses.” Orange invests about €1bn a year in Africa, but will now concentrate the bulk…