Diamantino Azevedo made these remarks in statements to Jornal de Angola, reiterating the Government’s commitment to creating the foundations to expand the presence of the national business community with quality, generating employment, knowledge, and wealth for Angolans.
Angola’s energy future, as emphasized by Minister Diamantino Azevedo, lies in the hands of the youth, with the talent, creativity, and dedication needed to build the next 50 years of the national oil industry.
The government official also reaffirmed that Angola will continue to invest in the production and development of renewable and clean energy sources. This includes implementing projects for biofuels, solar energy, and green hydrogen, which are essential for promoting a just, balanced, and sustainable energy transition.
Diamantino Azevedo acknowledges concrete progress in the national oil industry, focusing on the execution of energy diversification projects and local capacity building.
According to the head of Mirempet, several projects have been awarded in recent years and are in the execution phase in offshore blocks, notably the South N’Dola project in Block 0, which is already in its final stages, and the N’Dungo project in Block 15/06.
He highlighted the start of the Kaminho Project in Block 20/11, the first offshore development in the Kwanza Basin. The construction of its FPSO began in China in April and locally at the Petromar Shipyard in the municipality of Ambriz, Bengo province, with the first steel cutting.
To mitigate natural production decline, the minister announced the operationalization of the Incremental Production Legal and Fiscal Regime. This mechanism aims to incentivize additional oil volumes in mature and marginal fields through agreements between the National Oil and Gas Agency (ANPG) and operators.
In the exploration domain, Minister Diamantino Azevedo stated that geological studies were conducted in the Kassanje Basin, identifying high hydrocarbon potential. Meanwhile, fieldwork continues in the Etosha-Okavango Basin, reinforcing the strategic bet on expanding petroleum frontiers.
Regarding natural gas, Diamantino Azevedo affirmed that the New Gas Consortium, created in 2020, is developing the Quiluma and Maboqueiro fields, with first gas production scheduled for December of this year. “It is a milestone in the exploration of non-associated gas in Angola,” he said.
In the refining segment, the Minister of Mineral Resources, Petroleum and Gas assured that the construction of the Lobito Refinery continues, while the Soyo Refinery project is being reassessed, in an effort to ensure greater local transformation capacity.
Non-Associated Gas Drives National Industries
The Chairman of the Board of the OPAIA Group, Agostinho Kapaia, acknowledged that the commissioning of the Non-Associated Gas Processing Plant in the municipality of Soyo will result in the rapid development of industrial activity.
Agostinho Kapaia made these statements to Jornal de Angola on the sidelines of the plant’s inauguration by the President of the Republic, João Lourenço. He referred to the gains the project will bring, as the venture’s activities do not face major constraints, whether energy-related or environmental.
The businessman also highlighted that the fertilizer factory, scheduled to begin operations in 2027, projects production above 100 percent. He stated that the future fertilizer factory will produce more than planned because it is located in Soyo, the municipality housing the producer of non-associated gas.
Agostinho Kapaia assured that the Soyo Fertilizer Industrial Complex has its inauguration and full operation scheduled for May 2027.
In addition to producing fertilizers for the country, the OPAIA Chairman assured it will also produce for export, with a greater focus on countries in the southern region of the African continent.
Looking at the social sector, Agostinho Kapaia guaranteed that with the commissioning of the Soyo industrial unit, 4,700 jobs will be secured, with particular emphasis on youth.
To the youth of the country, particularly those in the municipality of Soyo, Zaire province, Agostinho Kapaia appealed for the preservation of public and private assets, such as factories, as the economic development of any country depends on the industrial sector, which impacts the lives of citizens and human dignity.
Finally, Agostinho Kapaia acknowledged that the leadership of the OPAIA Group is aware of its social responsibilities towards communities, especially those near the factory, and has already established a social support program, the details of which he declined to specify for now.
