Business Reporter
The United States has approved a nearly US$100 million loan to Africell, the African telecommunications group founded by Lebanese-American businessman Ziad Dalloul (pictured), as Washington steps up efforts to challenge China’s Huawei in Africa’s telecoms sector.
The financing, provided through the US Export-Import Bank (EXIM), will enable Africell to purchase mobile network equipment and technology from US and allied suppliers.
Africell is the only mainstream American-owned mobile network operator in Africa and currently operates in Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone and The Gambia, serving millions of customers across the continent.
The deal is part of Washington’s broader push to expand the use of Western telecommunications technology in Africa and reduce reliance on Chinese suppliers, particularly Huawei, which has a significant share of the continent’s 4G and 5G infrastructure market.
Africell chief executive Dalloul said the company was pleased to work with EXIM to introduce what he described as more trusted and secure communications infrastructure across its markets.
The US has raised national security concerns over Huawei’s involvement in telecommunications networks, while the Chinese company has denied accusations of wrongdoing.
China has defended its investment in Africa, with its embassy in Washington accusing the US of politicising technology competition and seeking to undermine China-Africa cooperation.
The latest financing follows earlier US government support for Africell, including a US$100 million loan announced in 2018 to help expand its African operations.
The new funding highlights the growing competition between Washington and Beijing for influence over Africa’s digital infrastructure as demand for mobile connectivity and advanced telecommunications services continues to rise.
