Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), a Lagos-based continental financier, will soon sign a $320 million financing agreement with Italy, part of which will support the development of a new transport corridor linking critical mineral fields in central Africa to Angola’s Lobito port, according to AFC CEO Samaila Zubairu. AFC, owned by African central banks and development lenders, is the financing partner for the U.S.-backed Lobito Corridor project. The corridor aims to connect the Atlantic port of
The Federal Government of Nigeria has finalized the key legal and governance frameworks required to launch the African Energy Bank, marking a significant step forward in the project’s implementation. During a recent meeting in Abuja, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, hosted African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) President Prof. Benedict Oramah and African Petroleum Producers’ Organization (APPO) Secretary General Omar Farouk Ibrahim to review progress on the initiative. A statement issued on Sunday
In the shifting financial landscape of sub-Saharan Africa, Banco Angolano de Investimentos (BAI) has emerged as a benchmark for sustainable growth, institutional strength, and strategic foresight. Founded in 1996, BAI has grown into Angola’s largest commercial bank, driven by disciplined financial management, robust governance, and consistent market performance — particularly under its current leadership, elected in 2021. BAI has steadily expanded its presence within Angola and internationally, with operations in Cape Verde and Portugal. As
The United Kingdom’s Ambassador to Angola, Bharat Joshi, has described the Lobito Corridor as a key infrastructure project for Angola’s economic growth and Southern Africa’s regional integration. Speaking on Wednesday in Luanda during the Angola–UK Business Forum, the diplomat highlighted the project’s transformative potential for millions living in historically underserved regions. “After visiting Benguela three times and meeting various partners in Lobito, I came to understand the true scale of the Corridor and its potential
The oil sector has been one of the fastest-growing industries in Angola in recent years, making a significant contribution to the national economy, according to the Minister of Mineral Resources, Petroleum and Gas, Diamantino Azevedo. Speaking on the sidelines of the launch of the book “History of the Petroleum Sector in Angola”, Azevedo stated that oil remains one of the most developed sectors in the country and continues to be the main contributor to Angola’s
The Director General of Luele Mining Company (SML), Rômulo Mucasse, announced in Saurimo that stable performance indicators in diamond extraction, processing, and recovery could enable the company to produce 6.7 million carats during the current fiscal year. He recalled that the Luele project, inaugurated by the President of the Republic roughly a year and a half ago, has become one of the key assets in Angola’s diamond sector. Alongside Catoca Mining Company, Luele now contributes
Angola spent $662 million on fuel imports in the first quarter of 2025, importing 73% of its total fuel supply—less than in the final quarter of 2024—according to official figures released in Luanda. The data, presented on Thursday by the Director General of the Petroleum Derivatives Regulatory Institute (IRDP), Luís Fernandes, covered fuel sector performance from January to March 2025. During this period, Angola acquired 1,147,248 metric tonnes (MT) of petroleum products for domestic sale.
Angola generated $6.4 billion from oil sales in the first quarter of 2025, marking an 18% decline compared to the same period in 2024, according to the Secretary of State for Oil, José Barroso. Speaking during the presentation of the oil sector’s Q1 performance and Q2 projections, Barroso revealed that Angola exported 85.1 million barrels of crude during the first quarter—a drop of 13.5% from Q4 2024 and 9.8% year-on-year. Revenue from oil exports also
The multinational company PLASFER, which specializes in raw material exports, is advancing administrative and technical processes to leverage the Lobito Corridor as a “New Copper Industry Export Route.” This strategic logistics route aims to connect the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Angola, Latin America, and Europe. PLASFER has spent over three years developing an innovative project in the DRC, in collaboration with partners across Europe and the Americas. The company considers this new logistics initiative
Angola is moving beyond its traditional role as a mere supplier of raw materials, declared the Minister of Mineral Resources, Petroleum, and Gas, Diamantino Azevedo, on Wednesday in Huambo Province. “We want to create value here. We want to cut stones here, refine here, transform here, and employ people here. We want the wealth extracted to circulate within Angola and benefit Angolans,” said the minister during the Mining Investment Forum taking place in the southern
