Africell Angola is launching mobile services in Benguela Province, accomplishing the second phase of its ambitious national roll-out strategy.
Africell’s expansion into Benguela Province only eight months after starting operations in the country means that Africell Angola’s network now covers a population of approximately 11 million people. Following a successful initial launch in Luanda in April 2022, which has given mobile users in Angola’s capital region lower prices and faster connectivity than ever before, the activation of services in Benguela Province extends those benefits to Angola’s dynamic second city, offering individuals, households and businesses a powerful new platform for digital participation.
Africell products and services will be available through more than ten Africell-branded stores in Benguela city and surrounding districts, in addition to dozens of kiosks and a growing ecosystem of third-party distributors. As in Luanda, Africell Angola’s network in Benguela city is 5G-enabled. The network is built using secure and state-of-the-art Nokia equipment.
Expansion into Benguela Province advances Africell’s long-term project of providing secure and reliable connectivity to the whole of Angola. With a population of over two million people, a vibrant cultural life and strategic importance as a port and trading hub, Benguela is a logical territory for the first major expansion of Africell coverage in Angola, with Lubango the next province scheduled to gain coverage by the second half of 2023.
Africell’s immediately positive impact in Angola proves the benefits of competition in the mobile sector. The rapid and enthusiastic uptake of Africell services in Luanda revealed strong pent-up demand for a more reliable, affordable and straightforward telecommunications operator. We targeted Benguela Province for the next phase of our national roll-out campaign because of its character as a lively and innovative urban center. We are excited that mobile users in Benguela now have direct access to Africell services and we are looking forward to transforming their experience of digital communications.
Chris Lundh, CEO, Africell Angola
Africell is the only US-owned mobile network operator in sub-Saharan Africa. The US government, through the Development Finance Corporation (DFC) is the company’s biggest external investor. Africell’s initial launch in Angola in April 2022 opened a new chapter for Angola’s telecommunications sector, shaking up the incumbent duopoly which had under-served Angolan mobile users for decades and advancing efforts by the Angolan government to attract more high-quality international investment in the country.
Africell is welcoming new customers in Benguela Province with free on-net calls until further notice.
