Orange makes Africa digital energy push

Orange Group’s solar energy unit opened up its IoT platform to energy producers in Africa, a move designed to make electricity more accessible.

In a statement, the company explained access to its digital platform will enable energy producers to reduce the risk of missing payments thanks to the availability of a “pay-as-you-go” solar equipment and prepaid smart metres, managed by its payment service Orange Money.

According to Orange Energie, this “makes it easier for everyone to access energy in rural areas, down to the last kilometre”, branding the platform as the only digital service of its kind in the market.

Named Orange Smart Energie, the software was designed in 2021 through a collaboration with partners in the energy sector and was initially deployed to equip Orange’s mobile infrastructure with solar systems while only paying for the electricity consumed by each tower.

The technology also offers remote management platform of the clean energy kit.

Orange Energies said the move mirrors an ambition to “make energy more accessible by becoming the preferred partner of energy producers in a region of the world where one in two Africans lives without electricity, and where electricity companies want to improve the efficiency of accounts receivable collection”.

Today the business serves 300,000 households across 12 African countries.

Nat-Sy Missamou, SVP Orange Energies Africa and the Middle East said the platform’s “pay-as-you-go service is delivered through a distribution model tailored to African markets”.

In an appearance in MWC Kigali 2023, EVP and CEO at Orange Africa and Middle East Jerome Henique emphasised affordable energy and connectivity as key to social inclusion.