# African telecommunications infrastructure expansion > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/african-telecommunications-infrastructure-expansion > Updated: 2026-09-11T12:51:37.000Z. Sources: 5. Developments: 2. Telecommunications operators are expanding infrastructure and investment across various African markets to meet rising data demands. In Angola, Africell has established an operator-grade data center in Luanda to support its mobile core network and data services. This infrastructure development coincides with broader regional trends, including a $100 million loan from the Export-Import Bank of the United States to Africell. This funding is intended to facilitate the acquisition of mobile network technologies from American and allied suppliers, serving as a challenge to the market dominance of Chinese firms like Huawei. Additionally, Airtel Africa has announced a $1.1 billion investment plan to upgrade networks across 14 markets, with a primary focus on Nigeria. This move responds to data consumption growth exceeding 50% in its operating regions. Meanwhile, in South Africa, market dynamics show Cell C dominating the Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) hosting market, as major operators like MTN and Vodacom face structural barriers to expanding their wholesale businesses. ## Timeline ### 2026-09-11: Telecommunications firms ramp up infrastructure investment in Africa Telecommunications providers are scaling up African infrastructure: Africell eyes a $100 million US loan to counter Chinese tech, while Airtel Africa commits $1.1 billion to expand network capacity. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/telecommunications-firms-ramp-up-infrastructure-investment-in-africa ### 2026-08-22: Telecommunications developments in Angola and South Africa Africell expands its mobile infrastructure via a new data center in Angola, while Cell C CEO Jorge Mendes discusses structural advantages in the South African MVNO wholesale market. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/telecommunications-developments-in-angola-and-south-africa --- Cite as: African telecommunications infrastructure expansion. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/african-telecommunications-infrastructure-expansion