Orange Middle East and Africa and AXA Assurance Maroc sign an agreement to acquire a majority stake in DabaDoc, the Moroccan health-tech company digitalizing access to healthcare in Africa

DabaDoc, founded by Zineb Drissi-Kaitouni and Driss Drissi-Kaitouni in 2014, is a platform that digitalizes access to healthcare in Africa. DabaDoc has developed solutions that are used by thousands of healthcare professionals in Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria. Orange and AXA’s investment and network will accelerate DabaDoc’s growth and extend DabaDoc’s services to other regions, in particular Sub-Saharan Africa. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2021.

Orange Middle East and Africa is thereby confirming its ambition to be the leading multi-services digital operator in the region. Through its partnership with DabaDoc and relying on AXA’s globally recognized expertise in healthcare, Orange is positioned as a key player in e-health.

Following its first investment in DabaDoc in 2018, AXA Assurance Maroc is once again consolidating its partnership with the company to accelerate the digitalization and integration of its customers' healthcare journey, facilitating its policyholders’ interactions with healthcare professionals, notably via DabaDoc’s appointment booking and remote consultation infrastructure and network.

In cementing this tri-party partnership, DabaDoc will benefit from the broad experience of AXA, one of the global leaders in health insurance, and Orange’s technological expertise and payment solutions to enable digital solutions to be developed that rapidly scale and benefit patients and the entire African healthcare ecosystem.

Zineb Drissi-Kaitouni, co-founder and CEO of DabaDoc, said: “DabaDoc, a leading health-tech platform in Africa, is supporting the digital transformation of healthcare professions. Orange’s investment in DabaDoc and AXA’s renewed investment will strengthen DabaDoc’s growth ambitions through Orange and AXA’s presence in Africa and the Middle East. The pandemic has strengthened our belief that the digitalization of healthcare services is essential and inevitable.”

Alioune Ndiaye, CEO of Orange Middle East and Africa, said: “We are delighted to commit to this ambitious partnership with AXA and DabaDoc to serve the healthcare needs of everyone in Africa and the Middle East through digital technology. At Orange, we are convinced that the digital transformation is a source of progress and that e-health has huge potential. As a responsible operator on the continent, we want to contribute to this major social challenge, especially during a pandemic. The deployment of this type of solution in the countries where we are present will greatly facilitate populations’ access to healthcare services, which is essential to the continent’s development.”

Meryem Chami, CEO of AXA Assurance Maroc and AXA CIMA, said: “AXA is a global leader in health insurance and related services. This is one of the Group’s strategic priorities as part of the Driving Progress 2023 plan. This ambition is even stronger as we are facing an unprecedented health crisis. Through this partnership, we therefore aim to enable patients to access a better healthcare journey in Morocco and to support DabaDoc through its development in the CIMA countries as well.”

About Orange Middle East and Africa

Orange is present in 18 countries in Africa and the Middle East and has around 130 million customers as at March 31, 2021. With €5.8 billion in turnover in 2020, Orange MEA is the Group’s main growth region. Orange Money, with its mobile-based money transfer and financial services offer is available in 17 countries and has 50 million customers. Orange, a multi-service operator, benchmark partner of the digital transformation, provides its expertise to support the development of new digital services in Africa and the Middle East.

About AXA Assurance Maroc

A major player in its business sector, AXA Assurance Maroc offers a comprehensive range of products adapted to individuals and companies’ needs. The company’s turnover in 2020 was 4,871 million dirhams. It is one of the insurance market leaders in Morocco. As part of its CSR (corporate social responsibility) strategy, AXA Assurance Maroc leads many initiatives, in particular surrounding prevention and education to reduce risk.