Orange Opens Digital Center in Guinea-Bissau to Boost Youth Employability

Orange has inaugurated the Orange Digital Center (ODC) Guinea-Bissau, an ecosystem dedicated to the development of digital skills to promote innovation, strengthen the employability of young people and support local entrepreneurship. The ceremony is taking place in the presence of high-level political authorities, including the Minister of Transport, Telecoms and the Digital Economy, members of Orange Guinea Bissau management team and members of the Orange Africa and Middle East Management Committee.

Orange Digital Center (ODC) is an ecosystem that brings together in a single location a range of free programs open to all. These range from hands-on digital training for young people, to support for project leaders, to start-up acceleration and investment. This initiative marks a significant step forward in Orange’s commitment to digital development and socio-economic inclusion in Guinea-Bissau.

In concrete terms, the center includes a coding school, a “FabLab Solidaire” (a digital production workshop for creating and prototyping), an “Orange Fab” start-up accelerator and benefits from the support of Orange Ventures Africa, the Orange Group’s investment fund, which invests in the most promising start-ups.

Orange Digital Center Bissau is part of a dynamic network of 26 ODCs across Africa, the Middle East and Europe. Operating as a network, Orange Digital Centers enable the exchange of experience and expertise from one country to another, while offering a simple, inclusive approach to boosting the employability of young people, encouraging innovative entrepreneurship and promoting the local digital ecosystem.

Orange Guinea Bissau, in partnership with the universities, will not limit itself to the capital, but plans to train students free of charge and to deploy Orange Digital Center Clubs in certain universities, as extensions of the Orange Digital Center in the regions, notably in the Canchungo region. The aim is to complete the system, giving as many people as possible access to new technologies and helping them to take full advantage of them.

Through this ODC, Orange is committed to realizing its vision of fostering youth employability while supporting sustainable growth and the country’s digital transformation agenda. The program is also designed to promote gender equality and inclusion by easing access to ICT jobs for women and girls.

Beyond the local and societal impact, this initiative responds to the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, targeting 6 sustainable development goals: (SDG 4) quality education, (SDG 5) gender equality, (SDG 8) decent work and economic growth, (SDG 9) industry, innovation and infrastructure, (SDG 10) reduced inequality and (SDG 17) partnership to achieve the goals.

I’m proud to return to Bissau for the inauguration of Guinea-Bissau’s Orange Digital Center, a place where innovation and digital inclusion come to life. This space is much more than just a technology center; it’s a promise of transformation and growth for the digital future of Guinea-Bissau and Africa. By providing free access to cutting-edge resources, we hope to inspire a new generation of creators and leaders and contribute to an inclusive digital economy.

Brelotte Ba, Deputy CEO, Orange Middle East and Africa

After Dakar, Bamako, Conakry and Freetown, the inauguration of the Orange Digital Center in Bissau is a crucial step in the Sonatel Group’s commitment to innovation and digital inclusion in Guinea-Bissau. By offering young talents the tools and resources they need to develop their skills, we are helping to create a dynamic and sustainable digital ecosystem. This investment demonstrates our commitment to positively transforming society through technology and digital education.

Sekou Dramé, CEO of Sonatel et Chairman, Board of Orange Bissau

Digital transformation makes a strong contribution to achieving sustainable development goals, generating a significant impact. Orange Bissau is firmly committed to being a key player in this transformation in Guinea-Bissau, providing solutions tailored to the entire population.

Thérèse Nogoye Tounkara, CEO, Orange Guinea Bissau