Orange put the focus on developing mobile financial services in West Africa after the company launched its brand in Burkina Faso.

The company said in a statement its Orange Money solution for international transfers will be further expanded in the West African Economic and Monetary Union – an economic union which aims to boost the financial competitiveness of its eight member states – following the launch of mobile services in Burkina Faso.

The French company launched its brand after acquiring Airtel’s mobile arm in the country during 2016 for an undisclosed fee.

Orange Money was in fact already available in Burkina Faso, as part of a deal previously struck with Airtel. Customers of Orange Money in Ivory Coast were able to send money to customers of Airtel Money in Burkina Faso and vice-versa.

The development marked the first time Orange Money was available to customers in a country outside of its footprint (which was the case at the time).

Orange said its money service is now available in 17 countries serving more than 30 million customers.

Ben Haidara, CEO of Orange in Burkina Faso, added the country is at a “decisive turning point in the development of the telecoms market.

“Our ambition is to continue the work accomplished in recent years in the mobile money and mobile internet fields to make Orange the leading partner for Burkina Faso’s transformation,” he said.