Huawei is at the center of one of Angola's most recent technological advances, positioning itself as a key driver of global development. It's clear that the country is poised to make a qualitative leap in telecommunications, data storage, and the training of highly skilled professionals.

With the entry of multinational giants like Huawei and Raxio into Angola, the country is establishing itself as a key player in the African digital transformation landscape. The challenge lies not only in building state-of-the-art digital infrastructure, but also in creating mechanisms that allow all citizens to equitably enjoy the benefits of the digital age.

In this context, Angola faces a strategic opportunity to reduce technological asymmetries, modernize vital sectors, and position itself as an innovation hub in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The initiatives now announced, which include the construction of research, development, and data centers, demonstrate how digitalization can benefit all sectors of society, from universities to hospitals, from small businesses to large corporations, offering new tools to improve daily life and accelerate Angola's collective progress.

Chinese multinational Huawei announced in Luanda that it plans to establish a research and development center by 2027 dedicated to strengthening digital inclusion in Angola and expanding its presence in Africa.

The revelation was made after a meeting between the President of the Republic, João Lourenço, and the company's delegation, led by Hover Gao, Huawei's head of sub-Saharan Africa.

Speaking to the press, António Hou, general director for Portuguese-speaking countries, explained that the future center's mission will be to accelerate digital transformation and help Angola achieve universal internet access. The company emphasizes that technology should not be a privilege for the few, but rather a tool at the service of the community.

“Technology is not a privilege, it is for everyone, leaving no one behind”, said Antonio Hou.

The project, still in the process of being defined in terms of location and investment amount, has already been confirmed as a priority for the multinational. In addition to infrastructure, Huawei announced an ambitious training plan: by 2027, it aims to train 7,000 young Angolans in strategic areas such as artificial intelligence, connectivity, and emerging technologies.

This initiative also includes the selection of 5 students who will participate in advanced training programs in China, strengthening the academic and professional ties between the two countries.

Founded in 1987 by Ren Zhengfei, an engineer in the Chinese People's Army, Huawei is one of China's largest private companies, headquartered in Shenzhen, Guangdong province.

Present in more than 170 countries, it employs around 190 thousand people worldwide, being a world leader in telecommunications infrastructure, especially in the development of 5G technology, production of smartphones, tablets, laptops and smart devices, as well as offering solutions in cloud computing, artificial intelligence and big data.

Talents and Partnerships

Investing in human capital is highlighted as one of the pillars of this commitment. Huawei emphasized that it's not just about constructing buildings or installing equipment, but also about building solid skills among Angolan youth.

By establishing partnerships with leading national universities, the company ensures that students will have access to cutting-edge training and opportunities that were previously restricted to world-renowned technology centers.

The commitment is also long-term: the multinational aims to make Angola an African benchmark for developing digital talent. The logic is simple: the better educated young people are, the better prepared the country will be to integrate into the Industry 4.0 technological revolution.

This process is expected to positively influence other sectors of the economy, including healthcare and education, creating a value chain that extends far beyond the telecommunications sector. The ultimate goal is to ensure equitable digital inclusion, preventing entire populations from being excluded from the new digital economy.

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Alongside Huawei's announcement, Luanda witnessed the inauguration of Angola's first neutral Tier III data center, a project by British multinational Raxio. Located in Cacuaco, the center, named Raxio AO1, represents an initial investment of US$30 million and is considered a strategic milestone for the country.

The Data Center, 100% technology-neutral, will launch with 100 racks (server shelves), joining other competitors already operating in the Angolan market.

With international Tier III certification, the infrastructure guarantees power and cooling redundancies, ensuring uninterrupted operation year-round. This type of certification ensures that the center can perform maintenance without disrupting customer operations, a crucial factor for financial institutions, technology companies, and public agencies.

The concept "colocation", adopted by the project, allows different companies to allocate their servers in a common space, reducing costs and increasing reliability. Raxio's neutrality also ensures freedom in choosing internet providers, multiplying connectivity options and guaranteeing flexibility in service migration.

Infrastructure and Industry 4.0

In an era where data is considered the new gold, building robust data centers is essential for any economy seeking sustainable growth. Maintaining proprietary infrastructure is increasingly costly and often counterproductive, especially in sectors like banking and healthcare, where service continuity is vital.

Raxio's center thus emerges as a modern and effective response to the needs of the Angolan market. By offering security, scalability, and redundancy, it frees institutions to focus on their core business, without the burden of server management.

“If every bank built its own data center, we would have a city strangled with infrastructure”.

Maria Pinto, Raxio's general manager in Angola, explained that dozens of companies are currently migrating their infrastructure to Raxio Group data centers. This process has been relatively straightforward, as long as it's well-planned, with a realistic timeline and aligned with clients. Expansion to the second phase will depend on the success of the first.

This project joins others already implemented by Raxio in countries such as Ivory Coast, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Uganda, strengthening the African network of digital infrastructures and placing Angola at a prominent level on the continental map of digital transformation.