Welcome to Angola Today, Zitamar News's daily briefing on the political, economic and business developments shaping Angola.
Today's edition examines an ambitious new railway proposal, fresh demands for electoral transparency, a possible change in ownership at one of Angola's largest banks, the growth of mobile payments and the continuing dispute over the MPLA leadership.
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TODAY'S BRIEFING
- Angola and Tanzania agree to pursue an Atlantic–Indian Ocean railway connection
- Civil-society organisations ask prosecutors to investigate voter registration
- Unitel shareholders to consider BFA ownership as Carrinho pursues BPI stake
- Multicaixa Express overtakes ATMs and payment terminals in transaction value
- Higino Carneiro faces MPLA disciplinary proceedings as leadership contest approaches
Angola and Tanzania propose rail link between Atlantic and Indian Oceans
Angola and Tanzania have agreed to pursue a connection between the Lobito Corridor and the Tanzania–Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) network, potentially creating a transcontinental railway linking the Atlantic port of Lobito with Dar es Salaam on the Indian Ocean. Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan announced the initiative following talks with Angolan President João Lourenço, although no construction timetable or financing arrangements have been disclosed.
The proposal comes as two major railway investment programmes advance. The US- and EU-backed Lobito Corridor is being extended towards Zambia, with Italian construction company Webuild selected for part of the new line. Meanwhile, China has agreed to invest $1.4bn in modernising TAZARA, which it originally helped build in the 1970s. Angola has also invited Tanzania to consider investing in the Lobito refinery.
Sources: Reuters via Mining Weekly | The EastAfrican
But increased traffic would not automatically translate into broader economic benefits for Angola. During the 8 October Angola Briefing, economist Francisco Paulo and civil-society activist Florindo Chivucute discussed the importance of ensuring that major infrastructure investments create opportunities for local businesses and communities. Their observations underline a central question for the Lobito Corridor: whether Angola can develop industries and services around the railway, rather than simply serving as a transit route for minerals extracted elsewhere.
WHAT TO WATCH
Whether the governments publish a route, feasibility study and financing plan, and how the proposed connection fits with existing Lobito Corridor construction contracts and TAZARA's Chinese-backed rehabilitation.
Civil-society groups demand investigation into voter registration
Three Angolan civil-society organisations — HANDEKA, UYELE and MOSAICO — have asked the Attorney General's Office to investigate the automatic voter-registration process ahead of the 2027 general elections. Their submission calls for an independent audit of the adult citizens database, including procedures for removing deceased people from the register, and a financial audit of the government's voter-verification exercise.
The organisations say the Ministry of Territorial Administration has failed to respond to requests for clarification submitted since June. Their allegations concern both the integrity of electoral records and the authorities' obligation to respond to public scrutiny. The submission is a request for investigation, not evidence that electoral fraud has occurred.
