The Trump administration has approved a $99.6 million loan to Africell, a U.S.-owned cell phone network operator based in Africa. The loan comes from the U.S. government's Export-Import Bank and was announced by Africell on Friday. This is the only U.S.-owned cell network operator in Africa. In a statement, Africell said the loan would help increase employment in the U.S. telecommunications sector and reinforce American leadership in technology overseas. The funds will be used specifically to invest in American and European technology for Africell's operations in Angola, a southern African country. The company also operates in Congo, Sierra Leone, and Gambia. Huawei, a Chinese company, is the world’s largest supplier of telecommunications network equipment and has provided more than half of the 4G and 5G infrastructure in Africa. The Trump administration has expressed national security concerns about Huawei, particularly during President Donald Trump’s first term. The U.S. has encouraged Western allies to avoid using Huawei’s products in their high-speed wireless networks. Additionally, U.S. prosecutors have accused Huawei of stealing technology, plotting to steal U.S. trade secrets, and committing wire and bank fraud, among other charges. A criminal racketeering trial against Huawei began this week in New York. Huawei has denied the U.S. allegations, calling them "demonstrably false." The Trump administration has also sought to reduce China’s influence in Africa beyond telecommunications, focusing on areas like the extraction of critical minerals and rare earth elements. These materials are essential for manufacturing electronics, new technologies, and defense systems. By supporting U.S. companies like Africell and opposing Chinese influence, the administration aims to strengthen American economic and technological presence in Africa.