Angola’s largest telecommunications operator, Unitel, suffered a cyber attack that disrupted voice, mobile data and internet services nationwide just one day before its shares are due to begin trading on the country’s stock exchange.
Unitel said it detected the attack at 2:20 a.m. local time and immediately activated its incident response and cybersecurity teams to contain the breach and restore services. The company did not disclose the nature of the attack or indicate when normal operations would resume.
The outage affected the company’s technology infrastructure and disrupted services across Angola, where Unitel serves more than 21 million customers in a country of about 39 million people.
The incident comes as Unitel prepares to make its stock market debut on Wednesday following the completion of Angola’s largest initial public offering.
The Angolan government sold a 15% stake in the state-owned telecom operator as part of its privatisation programme aimed at attracting private investment and reducing state ownership in key sectors of the economy. The share sale was oversubscribed by more than 20%, underscoring strong investor demand despite challenging market conditions.
The listing marks a significant milestone for Angola’s capital markets, with Unitel becoming one of the country’s largest publicly traded companies.
The government assumed full control of the telecom operator in 2022 after seizing stakes previously linked to former shareholders, including Isabel dos Santos, as part of broader efforts to recover state assets.
While the cyber attack has raised operational concerns ahead of the listing, Unitel has not indicated that the incident will delay its stock market debut. The company said it would continue providing updates through its official communication channels as recovery efforts progress.
The attack highlights the growing cybersecurity risks facing telecommunications operators, whose networks support critical communications and digital infrastructure. It also comes at a pivotal moment for Angola’s privatisation agenda, with investors closely watching the performance of the country’s biggest-ever telecom listing.
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Emmanuel Abara Benson is a business journalist and editor covering artificial intelligence, global markets, and emerging technology.
He has previously worked with Business Insider Africa and Nairametrics, reporting on finance, startups, and innovation.
His work focuses on AI, digital economy, and global tech trends.
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