Trump Africell Loan: US Plans $100 Million Telecom Deal to Counter Huawei in Africa

The Trump Africell loan Huawei Africa plan will provide nearly $100 million to Africell as the United States seeks to expand the use of American telecom technology across Africa. The funding will come through the U.S. Export-Import Bank and is aimed at helping Africell buy newer mobile network equipment from American and allied suppliers.

Africell is the only American-owned telecommunications business in Africa. According to a person familiar with the issue and a draft release reviewed by Reuters, the loan is set to be revealed on Friday.

Trump Africell Loan Huawei Africa Strategy

The loan is part of Washington’s broader strategy to minimize the use of Chinese telecom equipment in international markets. The Trump administration has maintained policies geared at pushing countries and businesses to use technology developed by the United States and its partners rather than Huawei equipment.

The United States has imposed severe sanctions against Huawei due to allegations that its technology might be used for spying. The Chinese business has refuted the accusations.

Huawei maintains a dominant participant in Africa’s communications business. According to Counterpoint Research, the corporation accounts for around 52% of the continent’s 5G infrastructure market.

Africell CEO Ziad Dalloul expressed satisfaction with the company’s collaboration with the US Export-Import Bank. He stated that the collaboration would contribute to better trustworthy and secure communications infrastructure in the markets where Africell operates.

Africell’s Network and Customers

Africell was created in 2001 and now serves over 15 million consumers. It operates in Angola, Gambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Sierra Leone.

The company has also leveraged technology from a number of big American and European suppliers. According to its website, Africell purchased equipment and services from HP, Nokia, Dell, Oracle, and other companies to build a new data center in Angola.

The latest US financing also follows an executive order issued by President Donald Trump in 2025. The directive urged US agencies to promote the use of American technology in global markets, including artificial intelligence, cloud services, data center storage, and networking.

Washington has previously advocated for similar programs. During his first term, Trump announced the “clean network” program, which aimed to remove Chinese telecom technology, applications, and carriers from American and allied infrastructure.

The United States government regards telecom networks as a crucial component of its broader technological struggle with China. The Africell loan allows Washington to promote American suppliers while also assisting a US-owned company grow its network infrastructure in Africa.

Africell previously got financial assistance from the United States. In 2018, it obtained a $100 million loan from the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, a development finance agency that was later superseded by the International Development Finance Corporation.

Requests for comment on the additional finance were not immediately answered to by Huawei or the Chinese embassy. The planned financing is expected to boost Africell’s ability to invest in mobile network technologies while also providing US vendors a bigger position in Africa’s telecom sector.