US Plans $100 Million Africell Loan to Counter Huawei

The Trump administration plans to provide nearly $100 million through the U.S. Export-Import Bank to Africell, Africa’s only American-owned telecom company, to purchase mobile-network equipment from U.S. and allied suppliers. The financing is part of Washington’s broader effort to reduce reliance on Huawei and expand trusted, non-Chinese telecommunications infrastructure overseas. Huawei supplies an estimated 52% of Africa’s 5G infrastructure, while the company denies U.S. allegations that its equipment could enable spying. The planned loan would support Africell’s operations in Angola, Gambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sierra Leone, and would add to earlier U.S. government financing for the company.