Africell

Africell Group tapped manufacturing company Industry Five to launch a pilot feature phone assembly programme in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a move tipped to help offset the impact of global supply chain shortages.

Africell picked Nokia as the supplier of the network equipment for a planned entry into Angola in H2 being made to broaden its footprint in the continent.

Africell was tipped to commence commercial operations in Angola in H2 2021, more than a year after receiving a licence to provide mobile services in the African country.

Angola’s government added a third mobile operator to the mix with the award of an operating licence to Africell, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.

Operator group Africell unveiled plans to spend a $100 million loan on improving network infrastructure, widening the scope of its financial services play and preparations to move into a fifth market, Reuters reported.

Orange has sold its Uganda operation as part of a wider review that is yielding disposals in a number of its international markets. The 95 per cent stake in Orange Uganda was sold to Africell Holding for an undisclosed sum.

Start-up operator QCell has been issued with a GSM network operating license in Gambia, bringing the country's number of licensed GSM providers to four, writes TeleGeography. QCell will join the country's existing operators Africell, Gamcel and Comium Mobile.