Orange introduced what it called a super app which blends mobile banking, e-commerce and telecoms services for users in the Middle East and Africa (MEA), rolling out the platform in five initial countries before a wider launch across its markets in the region. 

The operator group explained the app, dubbed Max it, was developed by a team in its African unit to cater to the specific needs of mobile users and will be open to consumers regardless of the operator they use for mobile services.

Orange claims the platform is built on the success of its My Orange and Orange Money apps, the latter of which will serve as the basis for Max it’s mobile banking features. 

With Max it, users will be able to manage their mobile and fixed services bills, transfer money locally and abroad and buy a range of digital content on a single platform. Electronic ticketing service for transport and events is also on offer, Orange stated. 

Orange noted it is rolling out the first version of the platform in Cameroon, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso and Botswana, with plans to launch it “in waves, with functional updates” in the remaining twelve countries where it operates.

The company further touted the platform’s benefits particularly in a region “where the smartphone is the gateway to everyday digital life, with a fast-growing adoption rate expected to reach 61 per cent of connected customers by 2025”.