Unitel outage disrupts communications and banking across Angola

A large‑scale cyberattack on Angola’s leading telecom operator Unitel caused a nationwide service blackout beginning on the night of 28 July 2026. The outage halted voice calls, mobile data and SMS messaging, preventing thousands of users from making purchases, paying taxes, receiving salaries and conducting bank transactions that rely on SMS verification. Businesses in remote provinces reported logistical difficulties, with some sending supplies by road because staff could not order goods. Unitel partially restored services in 15 provinces, but SMS‑based banking remained unavailable.

The parliamentary group of the opposition party UNITA issued a statement condemning the 48‑hour disruption, calling the loss of essential telecommunications “unacceptable” and demanding accountability, compensation for affected consumers and companies, and clarification on whether personal or corporate data were compromised. UNITA also highlighted concerns about the privatization of Unitel, noting that the sale of a 15 % stake for USD 318 million fell short of its potential value and could signal market discounting.

The incident underscored the critical role of telecom infrastructure for Angola’s economy, health, security and public services, prompting calls for stronger regulatory oversight and data protection safeguards.