Angola: The Long Road Traveled and the Way Forward

Since he was inaugurated in 2017, President João Lourenço of Angola has worked to address challenges faced in Angola’s investment sector. The instability brought on by Angola’s civil war and communist economic model resulted in low foreign direct investment in the country. First with his anti-corruption campaign and then by passing the Private Investment Law in 2019, President Lourenço created a friendlier environment for more foreign direct investment. These policies helped to make it easier to do business in Angola; however, the country still faces significant challenges. Angola is grappling with the inequitable distribution of resources and infrastructure between the northern and southern provinces. This is exemplified by Cabinda and Zaire in the north, which produce 55 and 35 percent of Angola’s oil revenues yet lack the basic infrastructure to reflect their contributions to the economy.

This report was made possible by the generous support of the Chevron Corporation.