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Tag: Angola

  • Bafana Bafana beat Angola 2-1 as Foster claims match-winning goal

    Bafana Bafana beat Angola 2-1 as Foster claims match-winning goal

    Burnley striker Lyle Foster scored in the 79th minute as South Africa edged Angola 2-1 in Marrakesh on Monday, claiming their first opening victory in an Africa Cup of Nations campaign in 21 years. Since defeating Benin in the 2004 tournament, Bafana Bafana had drawn twice and lost four times on their tournament debuts.

    Monday’s Group B opener unfolded in three distinct phases. South Africa began strongly, with Oswin Appollis putting the visitors ahead in the 21st minute before a sparse crowd at the near-42,000-seat stadium. Angola regained control for the remainder of the first half, with Show levelling the score. South Africa recovered in the second half, asserting dominance before Foster struck to secure the win. Egypt, led by captain Mohamed Salah, face Zimbabwe later in Agadir.

    South Africa pressed from the outset, forcing goalkeeper Hugo Marques into an early save from Fredy Ribeiro’s shot in the 15th minute. Six minutes later, Appollis capitalised on a Khuliso Mudau cross, taking possession and finishing low past the 39-year-old Marques to give Bafana Bafana the lead. Ronwen Williams kept the lead intact with a brilliant point-blank save from Gelson Dala at the half-hour mark.

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    Angola gradually asserted themselves, and Show equalised in the 35th minute. Siyabonga Ngezana escaped a yellow card after fouling Dala, but the free-kick that followed proved costly. Show connected with the low delivery to steer the ball into the corner. Tempers flared as the half progressed, with Sudanese referee cautioning Angola’s To Carneiro and South Africans Aubrey Modiba and Sphephelo Sithole. By halftime, French coach Patrice Beaumelle would have been the happier manager, with Angola unlucky not to lead.

    South Africa thought they had regained the lead six minutes into the second half when substitute Tshepang Moremi, replacing the ineffective Mohau Nkota, slotted a low shot past Marques. The celebrations were short-lived, however, as VAR ruled Foster marginally offside — he remains the squad’s only South African player from Europe’s top five leagues.

    Bafana Bafana intensified their attack, with centre-back Mbekezeli Mbokazi venturing forward for a long-range strike that rebounded off the crossbar. South Africa, subdued for much of the first half, became the aggressors, consistently pressing for a decisive goal.

    A swift counterattack saw Moremi outpace a defender before feeding Foster, who initially fired over. Foster atoned in the 79th minute, firing from the edge of the box past Marques to put South Africa back in front. The move stemmed from an intercepted Angolan pass and two precise team passes, allowing Foster to notch his fourth goal in six international appearances.

  • Angola, Nigeria meet to update legal instruments on strategic partnership

    Angola, Nigeria meet to update legal instruments on strategic partnership

    Angola and Nigeria will be meeting in Luanda to review the major economic challenges in the cooperation agreements and Memorandums of Understanding between the two countries.

    The review will be carried out at the 5th meeting of the Angola-Nigeria Bilateral Joint Commission starting on Tuesday in Luanda.

    The delegations are headed by the Secretary of State for International Cooperation of MIREX, Domingos Viera Lopes and the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu.

    According to a statement by the Angola Embassy in Abuja over 20 Agreements and Memorandums of Understanding will be for review.

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    The embassy stated that focus will be in the areas of defence and security, cyber and digital diplomacy, economy and trade, judicial, culture, air and maritime transport, telecommunications and social communication, tourism and visa exemption.

    The Ambassador of Angola to Nigeria, José Bamóquina Zau, described the moment as a turning point to promote more dynamic cooperation based on free trade, exemption from visas and double taxation, extradition and transfer of convicted people and greater security in the Gulf of Guinea.

    “Since 2001, the work of this commission has been interrupted and we are very excited to relaunch this cooperation with a focus on the hydrocarbon and petrochemical industries, agribusiness, sun tourism, information technologies, innovation and the blue economy to generate investments that create young jobs and boost companies in both countries,”José Bamóquina Zau explained.

    On the sidelines of the 5th Meeting of the Bilateral Joint Commission, two Twinning Agreements will be formalised between the Angolan provinces of Bengo and Namibe with the Nigerian States of Nasarawa and Bayelsa, respectively, with the participation of their governors.

    At the same occasion, the Angola Private Investment and Export Promotion Agency – AIPEX and the Angola-Nigeria Business Council – ANBC will strengthen relationship channels to guarantee solid economic partnerships with private investments from Nigeria.

    Trade between Angola and Nigeria continues to be dull, insignificant and unexploited considering the potential that the two countries present, a situation that worries the respective Governments. Outside the oil sector, from 2020 to 2022, the value of exports of goods from Angola to Nigeria was calculated at US$5.6 million and imports stood at US$16.8 million, representing a negative trade balance of US$11.2 million.

    In February 2024, the Angolan Embassy organized, in Lagos, the 2nd Business Forum and Nigerian gross investment intentions had been estimated at US$5 Billion.

    Angola and Nigeria relationship dates back to Angola’s Independence, Nigeria was a fervent supporter of its political emancipation, contributing financially to the functioning of the first government.

    After independence, in November 1975, several cooperation agreements were signed in the fields of defense and security, civil aviation, oil and gas, trade and agribusiness.

    President António Agostinho Neto visited Nigeria in 1977 and was conferred with the title of Doctor Honoris Causa by the University of Lagos – UNILAG. The then Prime Minister of Angola, Lopo Ferreira do Nascimento visited Nigeria several times to give practical expression to the cooperation agreements.

    In October 2023, during the accreditation of Ambassador José Bamóquina Zau, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reaffirmed the commitment to openness and strengthening cooperation between the two countries by better exploring their potential.

  • UAE deepens ties with Angola

    UAE deepens ties with Angola

    The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has taken another step in expanding its footprint in Africa, with Angola becoming the latest country to sign a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) during the state visit of President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to Luanda.

    President Sheikh Mohamed held talks with his Angolan counterpart, President João Manuel Lourenço, where both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations and unlocking new areas of cooperation.

    President Lourenço, who welcomed his guest warmly, described the visit as historic and a significant boost to Angola’s ties with the Gulf nation.

    He commended the UAE for its growing investments across the continent, stressing that Emirati companies have contributed meaningfully to Angola’s economic growth.

    In his remarks, President Sheikh Mohamed congratulated Angola on its 50th independence anniversary and expressed optimism about the country’s progress.

    He said the UAE remains committed to building strategic partnerships with African nations in critical sectors such as energy, agriculture, food security, technology, and logistics.

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    “Relations between our two countries continue to deepen, particularly in investment and development. The UAE is keen to consolidate these gains in ways that advance the aspirations of both nations,” Sheikh Mohamed said.

    He further praised Angola’s leadership of the African Union, expressing confidence that President Lourenço’s chairmanship would promote peace, reconciliation, and stability across the continent.

    The discussions between both leaders also touched on regional and global developments, with an emphasis on the need for collective efforts to promote peace and stability.

    Agreements and memoranda of understanding signed during the visit are expected to bolster cooperation in renewable energy, agriculture, logistics, and other growth-driven sectors, with promises of creating more opportunities for youth and enhancing economic resilience.

    The UAE delegation included top officials such as H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior; H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Special Affairs; and Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Adviser to the UAE President.

    Several Angolan ministers and senior officials were also present at the talks.

  • Feasting while Angola burns: How rich get richer while poor get poorer

    Feasting while Angola burns: How rich get richer while poor get poorer

    • By Tom Major

    At a rooftop party in Luanda, as music blares and cocktails clink under the Angolan sunset, you’d never guess there’s a cholera crisis unfolding in the same city. That’s the tragic irony. Angola is one of the richest countries in Africa blessed with oil, diamonds, and natural wealth. And yet, a one-bedroom apartment in the capital can go for $12,000 a month. Not because of demand. Because of corruption.

    Years ago, Luanda was crowned the most expensive city in the world for expatriates, surpassing Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Moscow. The explanation? A grotesque distortion of value fueled by entrenched, institutionalized corruption.

    Corruption exists everywhere but Angola ranks among the world’s worst offenders. Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index routinely places the country near the bottom, with a score that reflects widespread public distrust. More than half of Angolans believe corruption has worsened in recent years. Most say the government’s efforts to fight it are either “fairly bad” or “very bad.”

    Even during peacetime, Angola’s ruling elite has done little to address the scourge. Today, the situation is so severe that corruption threatens not just democratic governance—but the very integrity of the state. It permeates every layer of society: from the National Police to civil servants, from mid-level bureaucrats to top officials. It’s no secret—every major investment in Angola seems to benefit someone in power.

    Government officials reportedly spend around $50 million a year on luxury cars. Judges cruise Luanda in Jaguars, while Angola records one of the highest child mortality rates on Earth. Here, the elite are known as marimbondos “wasps” in Kimbundu, a local language. The term refers to those who live in untouchable luxury, while children and the poor perish from cholera, a disease eradicated in most of the developed world.

    One of the regime’s most profitable corners is the Lobito Corridor strategically vital, and financially lucrative. And at the center of this lies Grupo Carrinho, a so-called private conglomerate widely regarded as a “pocket company” of the regime. As Deutsche Welle reported, citing investigative journalist José Gama from the Club-K news portal, Grupo Carrinho has secured a series of massive exclusive contracts with state oil firm Sonangol, the national power company ENE, construction giants Odebrecht and Camargo Corrêa, and even Angola’s police and armed forces. Deals like these, critics argue, serve the personal interests of President João Lourenço.

    Indeed, the connection isn’t subtle. In 2019, President Lourenço himself inaugurated the first phase of Grupo Carrinho’s sprawling industrial park in Benguela. That symbolic gesture triggered a wave of online speculation about the president’s alleged “opaque and personal connections” to the company—accusations the Carrinho Group has denied.

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    But the optics speak volumes. When the head of state personally endorses a private enterprise, it raises a fundamental question: can any other Angolan company expect the same level of presidential publicity?

    Then there’s Trafigura—the multinational firm behind the Lobito Atlantic Railway (LAR). Trafigura’s reputation for corruption extends well beyond Angola’s borders. In a 2024 plea deal, the company admitted in U.S. court to bribing officials to win oil deals in Brazil and agreed to pay $127 million in penalties. Later that year, Swiss authorities launched their own case. By January 2025, former COO Mike Wainwright had been convicted of bribery and sentenced to 32 months in prison. Trafigura was fined $148 million—marking the first time a corporate entity had been tried by Switzerland’s highest court in such a case. The fact that Angola features prominently in this precedent-setting scandal is telling.

    So who, exactly, would still be willing to pour money into Angola?

    Some are starting to ask the hard questions. In Brazil, CBN Radio aired a segment raising concerns about investments in Angola, insisting on the need for “transparency in the face of corruption”. Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht, for its part, has openly admitted to paying over $750 million in bribes to Angolan officials.

    Angola’s political structure enables this. The regime, led by the MPLA for over five decades, is deeply authoritarian and centralized. The president can unilaterally approve contracts without public tenders or scrutiny. The press is muzzled. The state-run news agency ANGOP is controlled by the ruling party, while independent journalists face surveillance and harassment by the Criminal Investigation Service (SIC). As a result, major corruption stories rarely reach the public.

    This isn’t just risky for foreign companies it’s politically toxic for any world leader considering engagement. What president wants to lose reelection over headlines tying them to a brutal, kleptocratic regime?

    But the more urgent question remains: What kind of company wants to help Angola’s marimbondos grow fatter while children die of cholera, and activists are beaten by police for demanding dignity and truth?

    Major, a British national is an expert in South African affairs.

  • How João Lourenço makes Angola dependent on West through questionable schemes 

    How João Lourenço makes Angola dependent on West through questionable schemes 

    By Manuel Chilala

    This year, Angola celebrates its 50th anniversary of independence—a history worthy of a film. It includes the struggle against Portuguese colonialism, attempts by British and South African mercenaries to intervene, the solidarity of other nations in Angola’s fight against neo-colonial invaders, and along civil war.

    However, Angola’s story is overshadowed by something that has alienated its government and people— corruption—which has made Angola dependent not on other nations directly but on major corporations from Western countries.

    Angolans frequently hear about corruption in their daily lives. Despite Angola’s wealth in resources and potential, the average Angolan sees little progress or benefits of independence. Hunger and unemployment are harsh realities, leaving the country underdeveloped.

    According to the UN reports, hundreds of Angolans die from cholera, while others fall victim to landmines, even though NGOs funded by the Angolan government were supposed to clear these mines long ago.

    Corruption in Angola permeates society, from the political elite—known as the marimbondos who live lavish lifestyles akin to the Western upper-middle class—to the grassroots level of the state. Who can forget how, in 2024, João Lourenço’s government was internationally embarrassed by a Brazilian tourist when bribes for a “soda” at checkpoints gained global notoriety?Although some police officers were dismissed, the elite—seeking money not for gas but for their own factories —remains in power.

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    In 2023, UNITA, the largest opposition party, accused João Lourenço of being the “chief promoter of corruption” in Angola. Lourenço, who initially positioned himself as a reformer committed to fighting corruption, is  perceived by critics as its principal enabler. They alleged he has created monopolies and companies tied to associates, directing state contracts to only four specific companies. Transparency and public tendering processes, according to them, have been abolished.

    Furthermore, the government uses force against demonstrators, with police killing protesters without consequence. For example, in Huambo in 2023, protestors were killed, yet no police officers were held accountable. Justice remains elusive for victims.

    High-profile corruption scandals have implicated members of Lourenço’s government, such as Edeltruda da Costa, who was accused of embezzling over €25 million. Critics argue that the issue lies not with former regimes, as Lourenço often claims, but within his own administration and inner circle.

    Internationally, Angola’s corruption is well-documented, with major publications like Voice of America and DeutscheWelle covering it. Transparency International has reported that top officials use offshore companies to hide assets, diverting resources intended for infrastructure development. Around 80% of these assets are held outside Africa in countries like the UK, the US, and France.

    Portuguese outlet Público revealed that João Lourenço has been under investigation in countries like the US for alleged fraud and corruption. According to Pangea Risk, a consultancy specialising in risk analysis in Africa and the Middle East, Lourenço is implicated in a network that allegedly misappropriates Angolan state funds for private companies and MPLA campaign financing. This network, according to reports, includes companies like Gefi (Gestãoe Participação Financeiras), which has a history of opaque state contracts. Lourenço’s wife, Ana Dias Lourenço, is also implicated. She reportedly oversees the communications agency Orion, which allegedly funds MPLA activities and enriches her family and close relatives. The same irregularities extend to infrastructure projects under the Comprehensive Municipal Intervention Plan (PIIM). Angolan NGOs have accused the government of awarding contracts without public tenders, with examples from Luanda and Benguela provinces highlighted in a 62-page report.

    Corruption has eroded not only Angola’s legal systems but also its ideology. Lourenço’s administration has allegedly betrayed the Angolan and African people by aligning with corrupt Western companies that extract Africa’s resources. While much of Africa is rejecting France’s neo-colonial influence, Lourenço reportedly handed over Angola’s sovereignty to French President, Emmanuel Macron, who reportedly represents these interests.

    Angola’s Lobito Corridor railway, for instance, is allegedly controlled by corrupt international corporations such as Trafigura, known for scandals spanning Brazil to Mongolia. Despite public outcry for local or African-led development, Western capitalists dominate the project, further entrenching Angola’s dependency.

    The public relations campaigns of João Lourenço seem indifferent to these controversies, prioritizing external partnerships over addressing the needs and sovereignty of Angola. This narrative of dependence and exploitation underscores the complex legacy of Angola’s independence and the challenges it faces moving forward.

    Chilala is an analyst based in Angola

  • Angola to open visa, investment centre in Port Harcourt on Tuesday

    Angola to open visa, investment centre in Port Harcourt on Tuesday

    Angola Embassy on Sunday, March 31, announced the opening of a visa and investment centre in Port Harcourt.

    According to a statement by the embassy, the Centre will be inaugurated on Tuesday, April 2, as part of the activities marking rather 4thof April Day of Peace and National Reconciliation in Angola.

    The country is currently have two visa centres in Nigeria, Lagos and Abuja.

    The statement reads: “As part of the activities to celebrate the 4th of April, Day of Peace and National Reconciliation in Angola, a Visa Application Centre will be inaugurated this Tuesday, 04/02, in the Nigerian city of Port Harcourt, in order to obviate the need to travel to Abuja and Lagos.

    “The centre, a partnership between the Embassy of Angola in Nigeria and the company Akwa Helmes International Limited – AHIL, has facilities for applying for visas, increasing investment attractiveness, supporting the oil and gas industry, as well as promoting sun-sea and adventure tourism.

    “Its services will extend to hotel reservations, ticket sales and air connectivity to destinations operated by Angola’s national airline, TAAG.

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    “H.E. Siminalayi FUBARA, Governor of Rivers State, is the special guest of H.E. Ambassador José Bamóquina ZAU to witness the inauguration of a centre for economic, cultural and tourist rapprochement between Angola and Nigeria.

    “The city of Port Harcourt, in Rivers State (with a population of about 10 million), is located in the heart of the vast Niger Delta, where the main petroleum and petrochemical industries, two large state-owned refineries, two seaports, universities and scientific and technological institutes are located.

    “Most of the businessmen and technicians working in Angola’s oil and gas industry come from this region, but the local authorities want to intensify academic cooperation with training institutes and technical internships in the oil and gas industry.”

  • AFCON: Super Eagles starting XI for Angola clash

    AFCON: Super Eagles starting XI for Angola clash

    In the AFCON 2023 quarter-final clash between the Super Eagles and Angola today, Friday, February 2, goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali will return to action after recovering from injury.

    The Eagles’ defence will consist of Zaidu Sanusi and Ola Aina, forming a solid five-man lineup to counter Angola’s potent attacking threat.

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    Lineup

    1. Stanley Nwabali

    2. Ola Aina

    3. Calvin Bassey

    4. Semi Ajayi

    5. William Troost-Ekong

    6. Sanusi Zaidu

    7. Frank Onyeka

    8. Alex Iwobi

    9. Moses Simon

    10. Ademola Lookman

    11. Victor Osimhen

  • Angola pip Nigeria at Africa H’ball Nations Cup

    Angola pip Nigeria at Africa H’ball Nations Cup

    Nigeria began their Africa Handball Nations Cup campaign on a losing note as they gallantly lost to Angola 26-24 on Matchday 1 of the championship.

    The young Golden Arrows of Nigeria side led by Coach Rafiu Salami logged horns against the Angolans, throwing everything into the match which was a close affair between the two side with ensured that the first half ended 13-11 in favour of Angola

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    The second half was same as the first period with Nigeria going even more stronger even to the point of leading at some point in the match but they met a resilient Angola team who edge them with vital advantage from the 7 meters to win 26-24.

    Thus Nigeria lost their first match to Angola 26-24. They will play Tunisia in their next match on Friday at 7pm. Tunisia, earlier on, earn a strong and very comfortable 59-18 victory over Kenya.

  • Angola qualify for AFCON for ninth time

    Angola qualify for AFCON for ninth time

    Angola’s senior males national football team qualified Thursday for the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) after a goalless draw with Madagascar in the sixth and final match of the group E.

    Angola benefited from Ghana’s 2-1 win over the Central African Republic.

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    The expectations of the Angolan team supporters began to fade at the first minutes of the match as the national team took a while to “wake up” and after finally doing so, they didn’t produce enough to win the game with only two shots hitting the woodwork.

    The match ended in celebration as Angola qualified for the final phase of the CAN competition, after learning of Ghana’s victory over the Central African Republic, which made it possible for the team to qualify.

  • U-17 AFCON: Angola upsets Nigeria to clinch bronze

    Angola defeated Nigeria 2-1 in the battle for third place at the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Saturday afternoon.

    Despite being forced to play with 10 men for the majority of the second half after Porfirio’s expulsion, the Palanquinhas held firm to end their U17 AFCON campaign in third place. Nigeria settled for fourth.

    Capita opened the scoring before Wisdom Ubani levelled for the Golden Eaglets. Zito Luvumbo then scored a 49th-minute winner, with Nigeria unable to exploit their numerical advantage.

    After their semi-final loss to Guinea, Manu Garba made three changes to the team that started that tie, with the struggling Akinkunmi Amoo rested for Olakunle Olusegun.

    Angola goalkeeper Edmilson Cambila was also afforded a maiden appearance in the competition. However, it was his opposite number Sunday Stephen that was first tested, with the shot-stopper saving from a long-range shot in the third minute by Capita.

    The encounter was very different from their previous meeting in Group A, with the Angolans matching the Eaglets’ efforts this time.

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    In the 14th minute, Ubani could not get his shot on target after lovely interplay with Olusegun. Garba’s boys found themselves behind after 28 minutes of action; Capita punishing them with a header off David Nzanza’s cross.

    Two minutes later, Ubani levelled matters, poking past Cambila after receiving Olatomi Olaniyan’s pass as both sides went into the break at 1-1.

    Shortly after the interval, Zito benefited from the good work of centre-back Mimo to put his side in front before they were reduced to 10 men. Porfirio Ferreira collected his second booking of the game in the 55th minute.

    In the 61st minute, Garba threw on attacker Divine Nwachukwu for midfielder Olaniyan as he sought a response.

    Though it was the Angolans who almost doubled their advantage, with Stephen lucky to save a Beni Mukendi curler in the 66th minute.

    Winger Amoo was later called on in place of Ubani, to work the opposition’s defence. However, this battling Angolan side resisted all attempts from Nigeria for a famous victory.

    Goal.Com