Orange Botswana's CEO reveals the major achievements of the telecoms company, which is celebrating 25 years of presence on the local market. It also talks about its next major ambitions in a context of digital economy.

We Are Tech : You have been running Orange Botswana for more than two years. How do you view the local telecoms market in terms of digital appetite ?

Néné Maïga : The local telecommunications industry in Botswana is an ever-evolving market-it certainly keeps you on your feet as a leader! A great reason for this is its growth has been prioritized by the Government and all its key players including Orange Botswana. We have worked very well with our Ministry of Communications, Knowledge, and Technology, to ensure that our sector is sustainable.

WAT: How Orange has positioned itself in this context ?

NM: Orange Botswana prides itself in being the “first-to-market leader” in our industry. It was just 5 years ago, in 2018, that we introduced 4G technology, following a similar pattern with the introductions of 3G and 2G. In 2022, we introduced 5G technology, positioning Botswana as a prominent player in the mobile communications sector. This ushered in 5G-enabled partnerships that brought forth innovations in e-health, connected vehicles and cities, real-time gaming, and smart homes. Notably, the collaboration with MRI Botswana, a medical service provider, resulted in the creation of a connected ambulance, enabling doctors to guide paramedics through life-saving procedures in route to hospitals — a feat attributed to the capabilities of 5G technology.

New innovations in digital education, e-health, m-agriculture will consolidate the positioning of Orange Botswana as a multi-service operator. And this positioning will bring a lot of opportunities for local start-ups because our plan is to create an ecosystem which enables them to develop solutions addressing Botswana’s needs.

WAT: Beyond broadband connectivity, what are the other areas where Orange has had a strong impact in Botswana. How does this materialize concretely?

NM: For us, our work with start-ups as well as our digital school programs demonstrates how our strategic partnerships can accelerate the realization of efficiency in implementing the economic diversification drive and closing the gender and digital gap.

Our annual Orange Social Venture Prize Competition provides us with a platform to partner with start-ups that aim to bring innovative solutions that leverage on information and communications technologies (ICT) and future growth sectors in the country. Over the past years, we have supported and partnered with innovators that won the competition such as creators of the Mohiri Job Alert, Brastone of Mpotsa & mAgric and Connexus of Atlega Mobile Education. Recently, the 2023 winners of the initiative, Aga Sure Mobile App took home prize money to jumpstart a micro-insurance platform that will provide access to financial services for unserved and underserved economic communities.

Through our CSR arm, Orange Foundation, we have to date launched the Orange Digital Schools Program across 76 primary schools and upskilled hundreds of women with digital entrepreneurial skills across 8 Women’s Digital Centers. I’d also highlight, our state of the art, digital technology hub, the Orange Digital Center (ODC) launched in November 2022 in Gaborone. The ODC plays a pivotal role in delivering vital ICT training, upskilling, and supporting the creation of innovative digital solutions to enhance employability amongst the youth. In July of this year, 150 students graduated in scratch coding, digital embroidery, and 3D printing from this center.

WAT: Orange Botswana is celebrating its 25th anniversary. What does this milestone mean for the company ?

NM: Twenty-five years ago, Orange Botswana embarked on a mission to connect people, to bridge distances, and to transform lives through the power of communication. It is a powerful thing to realize that our clients and customers trust us with something as sacred as their ability to communicate with those that matter most to them. Whether it is personal or business, voice, or data, they trust us to make this most basic need to feel closer to their family, friends and business partners a daily reality. I am proud to say that Orange Botswana has been a key player in the last 25 years bringing people closer to cutting-edge innovations and digital inclusion. We owe our success to our amazing customers-their unwavering loyalty will certainly propel us into the next 25 years.

WAT: How is Orange planning for Botswana in the coming years ?

NM: Looking ahead, the future is bright for Orange Botswana. There is much to be done further and our passion, purpose and ambition will guide us. We stand at the cusp of a new era, where technology continues to reshape the way, we live and work. As a company, we are committed to staying at the forefront of these advancements, ensuring that we not only meet but exceed the expectations of our customers and clients. We look forward to digitizing the customer experience through platforms such as the Max it App, contributing to the growth of the country’s ICT infrastructure through our Tier III certified Data Center, and witness Orange Money make strides in the mobile money sector.

WAT: You recently won the «Female Innovator of the Year» prize at the Africa Tech Festival at November 2023 in Cape Town, why is this prize special for you ?

NM: I am deeply honored to have been recognized as the 2023 Female Innovator of the Year at the Africa Tech Festival. I believe this reward is a recognition of my contribution to the telecommunications, technology and media sectors in various countries including Cameroon, Mali, Morocco and, of course, Botswana. This is also a testament to the incredible work being done at Orange Botswana, and I share this award with our dedicated team who continue to drive innovation and excellence in our country and industry.

WAT: What meaning do you think this award has for women who demonstrate extraordinary leadership in the ICT sector ?

NM: This award has great meaning for African women in the continent’s tech industry because it validates our contribution to an industry, we have deep respect and passion for. As ICT leaders on the continent, we also understand the difference access to the innovations and technologies we offer has for Africans. I like to cite mobile and internet penetration as well as the rise of mobile money as prime examples of how valuable these ICT solutions can be to our customers’ everyday lives. In Botswana, a street vendor or small business owner now has a safe, convenient, and easily accessible tool to receive, send and save their money with Orange Money-which was not available to them 20 years ago.

So, as African leaders our success has even more meaning when it allows us to give back to our communities, country, and continent in some way.