Orange MEA Partners With Microsoft and Tencent Cloud, Supporting SMEs and Bolstering Super App

Orange Middle East & Africap is joining forces with Microsoft, looking to offer Microsoft solutions to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in 17 countries across the MEA region. Orange is also partnering with Tencent Cloud, the cloud business of tech company Tencent, to improve its super-app ‘Max it’ for businesses and populations in the region.

By collaborating with Microsoft, Orange MEA aims to address the growing needs of SMEs as they undergo digital transformation. Orange’s existing distribution network in the MEA region will now provide SMEs with easy access to the likes of Microsoft 365, Copilot, Azure, and Dynamics 365 while facilitating the upskilling of Microsoft experts within each country.

Orange and Microsoft will also collaborate on training, marketing, and sales support programmes to enable SMEs to adopt and benefit from Microsoft Modern Work solutions.

Through the collaboration, Microsoft and Orange aim to support 15,000 businesses throughout 2024, with an ambition to reach one million SMEs by providing access to technology, tools and support to accelerate adoption. The goal is to promote digital inclusion and enable all economic players in the MEA region to benefit from the advantages of digital transformation.

Jérôme Hénique, CEO of Orange MEA, explained: “This collaboration with Microsoft is a significant step in our commitment to support the digital transformation of African businesses. By combining our network and Microsoft’s solutions, we can provide SMEs with the tools and guidance they need to thrive in the digital economy.”

Energising ‘innovation and digital inclusion in Africa’

Meanwhile, Orange MEA is also planning to adopt Tencent Cloud’s mobility framework and Tencent Cloud Mini Program Platform (TCMPP) solution to create an open platform for Max it to integrate a wide range of mini-apps within its super-app.

Tencent Cloud’s technological expertise will empower Orange MEA in the field of mini-apps to enrich its Max it ecosystem and improve the customer and partner experience, while strengthening its position in the African market.

Fred Sun, general manager of Europe at Tencent Cloud, commented: “This collaboration represents a unique opportunity to energise innovation and digital inclusion in Africa, facilitating the development of use cases and services tailored to local needs while promoting African entrepreneurship. Our experience in supporting Weixin, WeChat , one of the world’s original super-apps, makes us the ideal partner for Orange. We look forward to working with the African enterprises and supporting its ecosystem through Tencent Cloud’s products and solutions in the near future.”

Hénique also emphasised the important milestone this partnership represents in the development of Max it: “This partnership with Tencent Cloud is a key step in our vision to offer innovative and high-value services to our users. Enriching Max it with innovative mini-apps is essential to strengthen the value proposition of Max it, increase the penetration of our super-app among Orange and non-Orange customers, and amplify our social impact.”