Africell lands $100M EXIM loan to bring US tech to Angola
What's the deal? AfricellDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has secured a $99.6 million direct loan from the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM)Dealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → to expand its telecommunications network in Angola. The financing will fund investment in the latest American and European mobile network technology in the company's Angola operations.
What's the endgame? Africell says the loan will support reliable connectivity, more competition, and better coverage in Angola. Using US equipment, it argues, will help the country diversify its technology sources, keep national control, and strengthen protection against cyberattacks.
Why it matters? The deal ties commercial telecom expansion to American technology policy abroad. "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," said Ziad Dalloul, Africell's chief executive officer, president, and founder.
The wider picture? Africell operates in Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, and The Gambia. Shannon Nagy Cazeau, chargé d'affaires of the US Embassy to Angola and Sao Tome and Principe, called the loan "a win for both our countries: American technology and a more prosperous, more connected Angola."
Why now? The loan is part of a broader US commercial push to expand access to electricity, transportation, and communications in Angola. In July 2025, EXIM approved roughly $297 million for TAAG Angola AirlinesDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → to fund BoeingDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → 787-10 aircraft and General Electric AerospaceDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → spare engines.
The signal: At $99.6 million, Africell's loan sits at the smaller end of recent deals — but it slots into a much larger US commitment. EXIM has pledged $5 billion toward the Lobito Corridor to back railway upgrades, bridges, and broadcasting, positioning Africell's financing as one piece of Washington's strategy to counter rival technology suppliers in the region.
Image credit: Jorge Lascar
