US to Provide Nearly $100M Loan to Africell to Counter Huawei in Africa
The U.S. government plans to provide nearly $100 million in financing to Africell, the only American-backed telecommunications carrier in Africa, as Washington intensifies efforts to counter the influence of Chinese tech giant Huawei Technologies Co. across the continent.
The loan, arranged through the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM Bank), is intended to help Africell procure advanced mobile network equipment from vendors based in the U.S. and allied nations, according to people familiar with the matter.
“We are pleased to partner with the U.S. EXIM Bank to bring more trusted and secure telecommunications infrastructure to our operating markets,” said Ziad Dalloul, chief executive officer of Africell Holdings Ltd.
Neither Huawei nor the Chinese Embassy immediately responded to requests for comment.
Pushing Back Against Chinese Telecom Gear
The financial backing reflects Washington’s broader campaign to curb the overseas footprint of Chinese telecom manufacturers. During his first term, President Donald Trump signed executive orders directing federal agencies to promote American technology abroad and launched the “Clean Network” initiative to purge Chinese hardware and software from allied communications networks—a policy focus being maintained in his second administration.
Washington has barred Huawei from domestic networks and heavily restricted its access to American technology over national security concerns, warning that Beijing could use the company’s equipment for espionage. Huawei has consistently denied those allegations.
Expanding Western Footprint in Africa
Despite Western scrutiny, Huawei remains dominant across developing regions. According to market research firm Counterpoint Research, the Chinese conglomerate accounts for approximately 52% of Africa’s 5G infrastructure market.
Africell, founded in 2001, serves about 15 million subscribers across several African markets, including Sierra Leone and Angola. The company relies on Western suppliers, including HP and Nokia, to build its networks and recently opened a new data center in Angola as part of its ongoing expansion.