Telecoms provider Africell has secured a $99.6 million direct loan from the US Export-Import Bank (EXIM) to support network investment and broader, more reliable connectivity in Angola.
The loan to Africell, the only US-owned mobile network operator in Africa, will support investment in US and European mobile network technology for its Angola operations, the telecoms provider said in a statement.
Africell said using US equipment will help Angola diversify its technology sources, maintain national control, strengthen digital resilience and improve protection against cyberattacks and other information-security threats.
The telecoms provider said the EXIM loan is part of a wider US commercial effort to expand access to electricity, transportation and communications in Angola and surrounding countries.
This includes a more than $5 billion commitment to the Lobito Corridor for investment in railway upgrades, bridges and broadcasting.
In 2025, Africell released Lobito Bound, a feature documentary about US investment in the Lobito Corridor region made with support from the US State Department.
The feature documentary is now streaming worldwide on Prime Video, Apple TV and other major platforms.
“Africell’s fast growth in Angola and DRC and our long-term market leadership in Sierra Leone and The Gambia demonstrate the unique benefits that high-class American technology, skills and investment can bring to Africa,” said Ziad Dalloul, Africell’s CEO, president and founder.
Dalloul said the telco is “pleased” to be working with EXIM to introduce more trusted communications infrastructure to its operating markets.
He added: “In doing so, we are flying the flag for American technology leadership and creating secure pathways for future American and allied digital technologies to be deployed in sub-Saharan Africa, including in the Lobito Corridor region.”
Shannon Nagy Cazeau, chargé d’affaires at the US Embassy to Angola and São Tomé and Príncipe, added: “The quality and results achieved through partnerships with the United States and American companies speak for themselves. This is a win for both our countries: American technology and a more prosperous, more connected Angola.”
Africell has previously invested heavily in its Angolan network. ITWeb Africa reported that the operator committed more than $150 million to its network rollout in Angola, with the infrastructure designed to support 5G.
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