The Trump administration is preparing to lend nearly $100m to Africell. Washington is stepping up efforts to expand the use of American and allied telecommunications technology across Africa.
According to Reuters, the financing will come from the US Export-Import Bank. It is intended to help Africell invest in newer mobile network equipment supplied by American and allied companies.
Africell is currently Africa’s only American-owned telecommunications operator. It serves about 15 million customers across Angola, The Gambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sierra Leone.
“We are pleased to be working with EXIM,” Africell Holding Chief Executive Ziad Dalloul said.
US pushes alternative to Huawei
The financing forms part of Washington’s broader campaign to reduce reliance on telecommunications equipment produced by China’s Huawei.
Huawei controls about 52 per cent of Africa’s 5G infrastructure market, according to Counterpoint Research.
The United States has imposed extensive sanctions on Huawei over longstanding allegations that its technology could pose security and surveillance risks.
Huawei has repeatedly denied those allegations.
The latest loan also follows a 2025 executive order. This order directs US government agencies to promote American technology abroad, including artificial intelligence, cloud services, data centres and networking infrastructure.
Africell expands technology investment
Founded in 2001, Africell has previously purchased technology from companies including HP, Nokia, Dell and Oracle.
The telecom company has also invested in data-centre infrastructure in Angola as part of its expansion across African markets.
Africell previously received a $100m loan in 2018 from the Overseas Private Investment Corporation. This corporation is now known as the US International Development Finance Corporation. The loan was used to strengthen Africell’s communications infrastructure.
The latest financing highlights the growing strategic competition between Washington and Beijing over the technology powering Africa’s rapidly expanding digital economy.
