Seven years of existence in the telecoms industry, Orange Sierra Leone (OSL)’s presence is felt in almost every sector of the country’s economy. Quality service, financial inclusion,
Education, health, trade and commerce, women’s empowerment and environment protection remain areas of top priority for the company. OSL hit the ground running when it got a foothold in 2016 with business expansion as its main goal.
The goal was scored by ensuring visibility in almost every community in Sierra Leone.
The 200 sites seven years back have been increased close to 500 to ensure that everyone enjoys OSL network service uninterrupted.
The glorious has been realised as OSL network is being enjoyed by every Sierra Leonean including those in the most remote communities making the company the leader in the telecoms world. In terms of clientele, OSL tops in the nation’s capital, Freetown and outside.
The people of PortLoko, Waterloo, Bo, Pujehun, Kailahun, Moyamba, Bonthe, Kambia, Makeni, Kono, Kabala and others have commended OSL for its quality network service and immense contribution to national development.
Several key stakeholders have praised the company too.
Prince Lappia Boima,
Paramount Chief of Kakua Chiefdom in Bo district says “Orange Sierra Leone is the company he has known for a long time.”
He made the statement at the launching of the Bo Data Centre with a cost of USD15, 000 the equivalent of Le300m.
Men in the street too have heaped praises on OSL for its dominant role in the telecommunications world.
PC Lappia’s claim was lent credence by the people of valunia Chiefdom approximately 89Km north of Bo city.
Between 2000 and 2012 when there was no communication site in the chiefdom, Residents relied on an Orange network in Yele Town in Gbonkolenken Chiefdom, in Tonkolili district, 12 miles away from Mongere, the chiefdom headquarters for Valunia. The villagers had specific spots where they would stand and communicate to their loved ones.
It is the same with the gold mining community of Baomahun town also in Valunia Chiefdom similarly benefitted from an OSL site in Yele.
Several surrounding villages embark on similar methods to communicate, but
the communication challenge was trampled in the dust of history when OSL arrived in the community.
A trader in clothes who runs a stall on Abacha Street, Mabinty Conteh says “Orange network is the best.”
“For now, it is only Orange Sim that I have in my phone, and I am not sure, if IÂ will buy another one apart from Orange Sim,” she stressed. Mabinty’s loyalty to the brand does not come in a vacuum; she is impressed by the company’s reliable network as well as transparent and honest transactions.
A driver in PortLoko, Abdul Kargbo does not hold back his admiration for OSL as he explains how he enjoys a splendid  network while in his farm.
“I use my Orange Sim Whenever I am in the farm and want to know how my kid is doing in school since it is only Orange that provides me with clear network,” he said.
Although Sierra Leone had the lowest number of smart phone users in Sub-Saharan Africa with just 18%, OSL still adopts strategies of digitisation to enhance quality service delivery to its customers.
The company, two years back, invested USD15,000 in a Data Centre construction project in Bo city.
The new centre is a back up to the giant one in Freetown owned and operated by OSL itself.
From 2G few years ago, the company is now close to 5G making it the fastest and most reliable network in the country.
The company established its digital dominance after it launched the 4G+ at Bintumani hotel in Freetown, and more exploration for digitisation continues as OSL completely rules out complacency despite feathers on the cap.
Arguably, financial inclusion strategy is one of OSL’s greatest achievements in the telecoms world.
The strategy ensures that everyone enjoys unfettered mobile finance services throughout Sierra Leone withno one left behind.
The company was the first to introduce the strategy which now services thousands of Sierra Leoneans including those in the most remote or hard-to-reach areas.
It has been very well appreciated as the last man in the last village can send and receive money whether they are Orange Money customers or not.
In its formative stage, it was only Orange Money customers that used to benefit from the service, but a new ground was broken, about a year ago, through digital innovation that ensures that customers from other companies have access to Orange Money Services.
Benefits from Orange Money are immense ranging from provision of services to job creation. The scheme has put back jobless men and women to work since it employs thousands as Orange Money agents.
Mid last year, Orange Money trained Sierra Leonean women in Orange Money operation, a scheme that has made many women self-employed with many more hoping for the opportunity.
Since no one works alone in the business world, Orange Money has created, nurtured and nourished partnerships to ease money transfers with B&B being its latest partner late last year. The partnership will ensure that Orange Money customers receive remittances from friends and families in the diaspora.
The Orange Money partnership is not limited to business circles as the company has had several partners to keep the financial inclusion strategy thriving.
It has forged relationships with councils, universities and other local entities to strengthen the strategy. Orange Money is now a strategic and reliable partner for Bo, Kono, Makeni and other local councils in the country.
By the terms of momoranda of understanding (MoU), the company will collect taxes and fees for councils and universities respectively.
Fourah Bay College, a constituent of the University recently signed an MoU with Orange Money for the collection of fees, and the company has proved to be a reliable partner in the scheme.
In August, 2022, Orange Money forged another relationship with Bike Riders Union in a ceremony held at OSL headquarters in Freetown for which bike riders president was thrilled.
Mohamed Tallie Bah commended Orange Money for what he called “a progressive initiative.”
The OSL-BRU relationship saw the erection of Orange Money booths at various BRU parks operated by commercial motorists (okada riders) especially the disabled.
Since digital innovation has always been at the core of the company’s operations, Orange Money recently made another brilliant discovery when it launched the Orange Money Card over a month ago to drive forward the financial inclusion scheme.
With the new card, seen as the burst of the bubble, challenge of sending money to wrong person has been nipped in the bud.
What an explosion of joy especially for those at risks of making mistakes while dialing for sending money.
The launch of the new card which took place in a glowing and colorful ceremony brought together officials from diverse spheres of life expressing sentiments of good will for those who contributed to the novelty.
Sierra Leone’s leading Orange Money continues to lead in the financial inclusion platform.
A ground breaking achievement in digital finance has been reached following the launch of a new Orange Money card.
Smart phone and non-smart phone users can use the the new Orange money card for mobile money transactions.
One can walk into any Orange Money shop and purchase the card at NLe 10 by producing an identity card.
Orange Money customers and non-customers can also enjoy the service once they are linked to their phone numbers.
In a 30-minute demonstration via power point, Assistant Marketing and Project Manager, Naomi Kabia explained the steps to gain registration with the new card.
“One can first scan, enter the number, get a summary of the details of the person making the request and get the password,” she summed it up.
Head of strategy and Marketing, Abibatu Baxter sees the new Orange Money card as the achievement of a new milestone in the world of digital finance noting that “a province of freedom” has been created.
“We always set the pace in the financial inclusion drive,” says the Marketing strategist. With the new card, Abibatu went on, mobile money transactions had been made simple, and customers freed from worries of sending money to wrong numbers.
“If you send someone to cash money and the person forgets the number, you can easily use the Orange Money card,” she emphasised adding that the new card is simple and stress-free when using it.
In an age of digital financial services, one should not suffer to spend the money after going through much struggles in getting it.
Chief Commercial Officer (CMO) Haffie Haffner too was there.
She said Orange Money had made an enviable history that would linger for years.
Social, digital and financial inclusion strategies, she went on, had been OSL’s mission in Sierra Leone since 2016.
She is satisfied that the company is leading in these three areas.
“We are in the right direction in social inclusion.
We are also leading in the digital inclusion through the launch of 4G+ and other data services that are effective and efficient, and Orange Money is leading again in the financial inclusion drive,” she pointed out. With such digital breakthrough, the CMO remains confident that the new service will bridge the digital divide in financial services and reach the last village.
In his address, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Orange Money, David Mansaray likened the new Orange Money service as an ATM card used in financial transaction. He expressed his excitement for the new service and wasted no time in launching it.
“I declare Orange Money card launched,” CEO Mansaray said.
He further stated that Orange Money had taken  a new, first step in financial inclusion with the new Orange Money card which, he said, was the first in the market. He hopes that with the new service, costly errors in financial transactions have been laid to rest. “Financial transactions have been eased, and there are no more mistakes in financial transactions,” he stressed.
Mr Mansaray assures Sierra Leoneans that none will be left out in the new digital finance. The construction of a monumental edifice for Orange Money at Hill Station in Freetown means the company means business, and it is here to stay.
Although profit maximisation remains the main aim of any business entity, OSL.
however presents a different case.
With a sound Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy, the company gives back what it garners from the public with the most vulnerable people on the receiving end.
Its CSR activities (donations and other forms of financial assistance) are implemented by the creation of a unit known as OSL Foundation led by a philanthropist, Jestina Betts.
OSL was the first to pledge USD1.6 to the education sector following the declaration of Free Quality Education (FQE)Â in Sierra Leone.
A good chink of this sum went into the construction of six Early Child Development (ECD) centres in five districts with remote communities at the top of the company’ s agenda
. Mayakie village in Kambia, Foroad Lokomasama in PortLoko, Korgbotuma village in Moyamba, Gombahun in Pujehun districts have ECD centres that are up and running, thanks to OSL for their philanthropy. Children of pre-school ages have enrolled in them and effective and efficient learning is taking place there.
OSL’s mission has always been to ‘Catch Them Young, and prepare the next generation of Presidents, Vice Presidents, ministers and other professionals that will commit their energies to the nation building project.
With functioning ECD centres, it is hoped that the kids would have mastered the requisite literacy and numeracy that will enable them sail through primary schooling.
The remaining two centres are under construction in Tihun Sogbeni in Bonthe and Saguehun-Perri in Pujehun district.  The company has also provided sponsorship to five lecturers in the University of Sierra Leone pursuit of their doctorate degrees in Mass Communication.
In the face of Corona Virus (Covid-19), OSL did not waver in its support to education as it facilitated online and virtual learning spaces through which students and pupils can contact their lecturers and teachers respectively. The online portals were free of cost as the company funded their operations.
OSL also offered financial support to government and donated personal protective equipment to local communities to halt Covid-19 onslaught. It embarked on similar moves during the Ebola period between 2014 and 2016. The company continued its normal business and philanthropic activities when normalcy returned to the country.
OSL also made its presence felt in the health sector by directing most of its donations to pregnant women, under-fives and lactating mothers at Connaught and Princess Christian Maternity hospitals in Freetown as a form of support to government’s Free Healthcare policy.
A big health project was also launched at Kroo Bay community, one of the biggest and sprawling slums in Freetown aims at ending  the rolling statistics of maternal and infant mortality.
Under the project, OSL works in close partnership with I-cap international to improve women and children’s health in the community by motivating them to attend pre and post-natal clinics, and the project is still on-going.
OSL has also left lasting impression in building entreneurship among Sierra Leonean youth. Many Sierra Leoneans are today entrepreneurs through Orange Social Venture Prize (OSVP) scheme initiated by OSL four years back.
Last year, a Sierra Leonean youth, Joseph Koroma won the international OSVP prize with his ‘Safe Blood’ project. Koroma utilised his ingenuity for the common good when he developed an app for the donation of blood. In a day, he became a global icon when he emerged winner among 17 competitors from 17 countries in Asia and Africa.
The blood project is being rolled out in four major hospitals: Connaught, PCMH popularly known as Cottage hospital, Rokupa Government and 34-Military hospitals. Osman Yaah was also recognised for his irrigation scheme to bolster agriculture in Sierra Leone, a country for hunger and under development.
Several entrepreneurs have come up under OSVP with local and international winners getting support from OSL with job seekers being transformed into job creators. No gainsaying that entrepreneurship is the cradle of national development.
OSL has also established its relevance to women’s empowerment initiative even before the passage of the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment law. The company maintains a high number of women employees in all its ranks taking pride in an internal women’s association with Martha Sumaila as president.
OSL, four years ago, was led by a firebrand female Chief Executive Officer, Aminata Kane Ndiaye ably assisted by a competent female company secretary, Haffie Haffner.
The Public Relations Unit was also led by a fit, skilled and active lady, Annie Wonnie Katta deputised by a PR professional, Mabel Mason. CEO Kane has been replaced by Sekou Ahmadu Bah with slight adjustment in the positions of officers to maintain the quality service trajectory. Other sensitive units are also managed and controlled by women with the company kept well afloat.
In all its operations, OSL poses no threat to the environment as it relies largely on solar power to power its operations, a move for which won several prizes and accolades.  Its s zest for environment protection is worth rewarding. For OSL, everyday is earth day seen in recent planting of trees at Regent community in Western Rural.
What makes OSL different from all companies operating in Sierra Leone is its zero-tolerance stance to corruption with ‘Tone at the Top’ as its overriding principle. The principle means managers and senior executive officials including the CEO should be the first to stop and avoid corruption.
Senior officers have constantly kept an eye on this policy for which the company has been rewarded with awards by Sierra Leone’s anti-graft agency. These noble achievements put OSL in a class of its own in the telecommunications world.