Orange Niger spokesman Roni Alhassane said discussions were ongoing with the buyer, Zamani Com S.A.S., to settle debts owed to creditors and unpaid taxes.

Orange's operations in Niger have been hit by difficult market conditions. In February, Orange said it was considering all options for the business and that a Niger court appointed an expert earlier this year to examine its situation and support its negotiations with creditors.

(Reporting by Moussa Aksar; Writing by Aaron Ross)