Angola Pushes for Faster Mining Rights Approvals to Boost Sector Efficiency
The Minister of Mineral Resources, Petroleum and Gas, Diamantino de Azevedo, on Wednesday called for greater speed in granting mining rights, emphasizing that the sector has the capacity to significantly reduce current processing timelines.
Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony for the reappointed Board of Directors of the National Agency for Mineral Resources (ANRM), the minister stressed that improved performance is expected, particularly in shortening the time required to evaluate and approve mining rights applications—while still ensuring full compliance with existing legislation.
Azevedo highlighted that the experience accumulated by the ANRM over the past five years provides the foundation for more agile and efficient action. He noted that it is not always necessary to make use of the maximum legal deadlines.
“We can be faster and less bureaucratic,” he said.
The minister also urged operators to intensify monitoring of exploration and production activities and to strengthen coordination with sectoral bodies to ensure full adherence to established guidelines.
He underscored the importance of supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, advocating for a more educational and advisory approach instead of relying solely on punitive measures.
Azevedo noted that several projects that should already be in production have faced delays for various reasons, calling for a thorough assessment of the causes and the adoption of corrective actions.
Among the key challenges for the sector, he pointed to the need to institutionalize a digital mining registry—an instrument he believes will help shorten approval times and improve the monitoring of ongoing projects. However, he cautioned that successfully implementing this system will require a shift in mindset and greater openness to administrative modernization.
