Welcome to Angola Today, Zitamar News's daily briefing on the political, economic and business developments shaping Angola.
Today's edition has a distinctly Luanda focus. That is partly justified: the capital is Angola's largest population and economic centre, and the pressures facing its residents — from unemployment and expensive transport to unreliable utilities — have consequences well beyond the city. But it also reflects an imbalance in news coverage. With most of Angola's media concentrated in Luanda, the capital's problems receive disproportionate attention, while life in other cities and provinces, with their own economic pressures and strains on public services, is less consistently reported. It is a limitation we are conscious of, and one we intend to address.
Beyond the capital, we examine a critical assessment of the government's 2027 budget by Maka Angola and a disputed leadership election in one of Angola's oldest political parties.
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TODAY'S BRIEFING
- Maka Angola challenges the government's non-oil growth and revenue forecasts
- New figures show 40.5% unemployment in Luanda at the end of 2024
- Holden Roberto's son elected FNLA leader at disputed congress
- Unitel customers report further communications and payment difficulties
- Luanda neighbourhoods face 20 days of water-supply restrictions
Maka Angola questions credibility of 2027 budget forecasts
Angola's proposed Kz37.34tn budget for 2027 relies on highly optimistic assumptions about the country's non-oil economy, according to an analysis published by Maka Angola. Writing on 2 November, economist and legal scholar Rui Verde argues that the government has not convincingly explained how projected non-oil growth of 7.15% will produce an increase of approximately 23% in non-oil tax revenues.
The budget forecasts that non-oil tax receipts will rise from Kz9.29tn in 2026 to Kz11.44tn in 2027, overtaking oil revenues for the first time in the government's projections. Verde argues that achieving this would require a substantial expansion of the tax base, improved collection and greater formalisation of economic activity, none of which can be assumed. He also draws attention to provisions in the proposed budget law allowing President João Lourenço considerable discretion to reallocate spending, substitute projects and arrange financing after parliamentary approval.
Source: Maka Angola — OGE 2027: A Suave Ilusão dos Números
During the 29 October Angola Briefing, Florindo Chivucute of Friends of Angola questioned whether the government's election-year spending priorities were sustainable given debt-servicing obligations and competing demands for public services. Verde's analysis adds a further concern: whether the revenues expected to finance those priorities will materialise.
