"It is important to present DRC and Angola in the way it should be presented."
On Limitless Africa, we look at the ways in which Africans can fulfill their limitless potential. And we also look at how partnerships with allies like the United States can help that happen. That's why we're talking to Ziad Dalloul, the founder, president and CEO of AfriCell, the only U.S.-owned mobile network operator in Africa.
AFRICEL's main hubs are Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the DRC, the Gambia, and Sierra Leone. They have four thousand full time staff and have been going for over a quarter of a century. They have almost 20 million users across those four countries and generate $400million in revenue. It's worth reminding you AFRICEL is also responsible for the documentary Lobito Bound. It’s about the train line that connects Angola's Atlantic port of Lobito to the mineral-rich regions of the DRC and Zambia.
And that's the key word: connects... connectivity is Africell's business. And when Africans connect among themselves and with the world, they will be able to fulfill their limitless potential.
Plus: How American and Chinese telecommunications businesses differ.
🌟 IN THIS EPISODE:
00:00 — Africa + America: a new growth story
00:24 — The only U.S.-owned mobile network in Africa
02:13 — “Africa needs me”
04:32 — Taking on telecom giants
07:30 — The real risk of doing business in Africa
10:27 — Why mobile money is still just getting started
13:06 — Crypto, Binance and Africa’s digital future
21:53 — The markets investors keep missing
💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER:
“People should start paying closer attention to the extraordinary potential of markets like Angola, DRC, Sierra Leone and Gambia.”
“We wanted to have something different — a more human touch, a more boutique kind of approach.”
“It’s hard to predict exactly what innovations will come, but Africans always give things a local twist.”
“There are a lot of opportunities in these countries — the growth and the dynamism are all there.”
🌍 ABOUT LIMITLESS AFRICA
The podcast that asks how Africans and Americans can work together for shared prosperity
Every Monday: 15-minute episodes that dive into an issue that matters to Africans
Every Thursday: extended interview with someone unlocking Africa's limitless potential
➕ WANT MORE?
How the Lobito Corridor could open up connectivity in central Africa https://trueafrica.co/article/podcast/the-railway-opening-up-mining-opportunity-in-africa/
"How do you merge technology with human potential?" - the tech platform helping independent retailers https://trueafrica.co/article/podcast/how-do-you-merge-technology-with-human-potential/
“African AI solutions are not being talked about” - Alex Tsado, the AI architect https://trueafrica.co/article/podcast/african-homegrown-ai-solutions-are-not-being-talked-about/
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Limitless Africa is sponsored by the US Department of State and the Seenfire Foundation.
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