Dechert LLP advised Orange, one of the world’s leading telecommunications operators, together with its Senegal-based partner Sonatel, in the closing of the acquisition of 100% of the mobile operator Airtel in Sierra Leone. Since the signature of an agreement with Bharti Airtel International (Netherlands) BV (“Airtel”) in January 2016, Orange has satisfied the conditions necessary to complete this transaction.

Airtel is the leading mobile operator in Sierra Leone with over 1.3 million customers (on the basis of active customers within a 30-day period) for a total population of 6.3 million people. With a mobile penetration of around 50% of the population, Sierra Leone offers considerable growth potential, particularly at a time when significant investments are underway to extend the operator’s 3G network. This network, which already offers good coverage in Freetown and other major towns in Sierra Leone, is set to provide internet access to customers living outside major urban areas.

Following the recent launch of operations in Liberia and Burkina Faso, where Dechert has also advised Orange group, Sierra Leone will become the first country in the Africa and the Middle East region to join Orange in the 21st century. In its press release, Orange stated that this acquisition strengthen its strategic position on the African continent.

The Dechert team advising Orange was led by corporate and securities partners François Hellot and Ermine Bolot with assistance from:

* associates Guillaume Briant, Baba Hady Thiam, Alexia Delahousse, Thomas Bermudes, Madalina Suru and Raphaël Sendowski on transactional aspects;
* associates Sabrina Chekroun and Victoria Hamel on labor and employment aspects;
* partner Simon Briggs and associate Mike Jarrett on UK law aspects;
* special counsel Renzo Marchini and associates Pierre-Olivier Ally, Marie de Jessey, Amira Mnafek and Raphaël Fauchart on transition services aspects.