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Country profile · compared with SADC

Angola

SADCCurrency AOA

Angola is home to 39.0m people (2025) and has an economy of $122.2bn (2025), the 2nd largest in SADC. Output per person of $3,129 is above the regional median of $2,539. The economy grew 3.1% in 2025, and the IMF expects 4.4% in 2026. Inflation was 20.2% in 2025, above the regional median of 3.6%. 55.5% of people have electricity (2024).

Where Angola stands out

  • Agriculture, forestry and fishing, value added (US$)The size of the farm economy in money terms, for sizing agribusiness, input and agri-finance markets.Highest of 16 in SADC. Select for the data card.
    Highest of 16 in SADC
  • Gross domestic productThe simplest measure of market size.2nd highest of 16 in SADC. Select for the data card.
    2nd highest of 16 in SADC
  • Foreign direct investment, net inflows (US$)The scale of foreign capital already flowing in, useful for sizing the deal market.2nd highest of 16 in SADC. Select for the data card.
    2nd highest of 16 in SADC

What to watch

  • Trade opennessMore open economies tend to have deeper supply chains and fewer barriers for foreign firms.Lowest of 16 in SADC. Select for the data card.
    Lowest of 16 in SADC
  • Logistics Performance IndexLogistics costs decide whether manufacturing and agribusiness can compete.Lowest of 14 in SADC. Select for the data card.
    Lowest of 14 in SADC
  • Working-age populationA rising working-age share can lift growth and savings if jobs keep pace.2nd lowest of 16 in SADC. Select for the data card.
    2nd lowest of 16 in SADC

Angola scores best on unmet demand and weakest on digital, finance

Scores from 0 to 100 by rank within SADC, against the SADC median. 100 means best in the region on that pillar.

AngolaSADC median
Market sizeGrowthStabilityInfrastructureDigital,financeGovernanceUnmetdemand78394528203580
Source: Investor Lens method·dotzedw Insights Centre

The IMF expects Angola to grow 4.4% in 2026

Real GDP growth, per cent a year. Open bars are IMF forecasts.

ActualIMF forecast
0.0%1.0%2.0%3.0%4.0%5.0%3.1%20254.4%20263.3%20273.2%2028

Ten years of history are free with a Reader account.

Source: IMF·dotzedw Insights Centre

Farming employs 52% of workers but produces 25% of output

Share of jobs in each broad sector against its share of GDP, latest year. A sector with far more jobs than output has low productivity and room to grow.

Share of jobsShare of GDP
0%20%40%60%Agriculture52%25%27 pts apartIndustry7%27%20 pts apartServices41%47%6 pts apart
Source: World Bank, ILO·dotzedw Insights Centre

Key figures

The bar under each figure places it among the 16 countries of SADC, lowest on the left. Hover for context; select for the data card.

Angola on the map

Its 18 provinces and 158 municipalities, shaded by population, power, water, transport and more; circles sized by value; or power lines, roads and masts on a street map.

Open the full map
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How Angola generates electricity

Share of electricity generation by source, latest year.

CoalGasOilWindNuclearBioenergy and otherHydroSolar

No electricity data for Angola.

The history of the power mix is part of the Individual plan

US$19 a month or US$190 a year. Subscribe on dotzedw.com and you come straight back to this page with Individual access. Already a member? Sign in with your dotzedw.com account.

Source: Ember, Energy Institute· Get the data (Professional)·dotzedw Insights Centre

Politics, parliament and elections

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There is no separate presidential ballot: the first candidate on the list of the party with most votes in the National Assembly election becomes President, who is head of state and government. The MPLA has governed since independence in 1975. Its vote share fell from 82% in 2008 to 51% in 2022, while UNITA rose to 44%.

President
João Lourenço (MPLA), since 26 Sept 2017
How the executive is chosen
The head of the national list of the party that wins most votes in the National Assembly election
Term and limits
Five years; a president may serve at most two terms
Governing
MPLA
In power since
MPLA, 1975 (51 years)
The MPLA has governed since independence; multiparty elections began in 1992.
Next national election
August 2027 (general)
João Lourenço is serving his second and last term.

MPLA holds 124 of 220 seats

National Assembly, seats as of September 2022. List PR; 5-year term

220seatsMajority 111 · Two thirds 147 (dashed lines)
  • MPLA124
  • UNITA90
  • PRS2
  • FNLA2
  • PHA2
How seats are filled
Elected by closed-list proportional representation; 130 seats from a national list and 5 from each of the 18 provinces.
Powers
Passes laws and the budget; the President governs by decree in many areas and is not answerable to the Assembly.
Special majority
Two thirds of members are needed to amend the Constitution. The governing side does not have it.
Elections
Last 24 Aug 2022; next August 2027
Source: 2022 Angolan general election·dotzedw Insights Centre

What the record shows

  • MPLA has governed for 51 years, since 1975, without losing a national election.
  • MPLA's share of the parliamentary vote has fallen from 71.8% in 2012 to 51.2% in 2022.
  • The governing side holds 124 of 220 seats in the National Assembly; it would need 147 to change the Constitution without opposition votes.
  • Turnout was 45% in 2022, down from 90% in 1992.
  • V-Dem's clean elections score is 29 out of 100, up from 20 in 2015.

The largest party won 51% of the parliamentary vote in 2022, against 54% in 1992

Every lower-house election since 1990: the largest party's share of the vote and of the seats, and turnout of registered voters. Open circles mark a change of government.

Largest party: votesLargest party: seatsTurnout
0%20%40%60%80%100%199520002005201020152020HalfTwo thirds56.4%Largest party: seats51.2%Largest party: votes44.8%Turnout
Source: Official results, V-Dem·dotzedw Insights Centre

Every national election

DateElectionResultTurnoutNotes
24 Aug 2022National AssemblyNational Assembly, 2022MPLA51.2%, 124 seatsUNITA44.0%, 90 seatsPRS1.1%, 2 seatsMPLA 51.2%, 124 seats; UNITA 44.0%, 90 seats44.8%Disputed
23 Aug 2017ParliamentParliament, 2017MPLA61.1%, 150 seatsUNITA26.7%, 51 seatsCASA-CE9.5%, 16 seatsMPLA 61.1%, 150 seats; UNITA 26.7%, 51 seats71.6% V-Dem
31 Aug 2012ParliamentParliament, 2012MPLA71.8%, 175 seatsUNITA18.7%, 32 seatsMPLA 71.8%, 175 seats; UNITA 18.7%, 32 seats62.8% V-Dem
5 Sept 2008ParliamentParliament, 2008MPLA81.6%, 191 seatsUNITA10.4%, 16 seatsMPLA 81.6%, 191 seats; UNITA 10.4%, 16 seats87.4% V-Dem
29 Sept 1992ParliamentParliament, 1992MPLA53.7%, 129 seatsUNITA34.1%, 70 seatsMPLA 53.7%, 129 seats; UNITA 34.1%, 70 seats90.4% V-Dem
1992PresidentialJosé Eduardo dos Santos90.4% V-Dem

Checked 30 Sept 2026. Not yet recorded: Angola's 2024 territorial reform created 21 provinces; the provincial seat allocation for 2027 is not yet recorded.

Election calendar

All elections

Hover a vote for its result and what it means.

  • 2027
    General election
    Angola: General electionPresident Lourenço is term-limited and has said he will step down. The MPLA’s choice of successor, and UNITA’s strength after 2022, make this the most open Angolan election in decades. Oil policy, the kwanza and the Lobito Corridor are at stake.Sources: 360 Mozambique, Maka Angola
    Expected
  • 24 Aug 2022
    General electionWon by João Lourenço
    Angola: General electionResult: The MPLA won 51.2% and João Lourenço a second term; UNITA had its best result with about 44%.No analysis written for this vote yet.Sources: Wikipedia
    Held

Deals and projects

Every deal in Angola

Individual Every deal record with its parties, value, stage and sources.

dotzedw analysis on Angola

All analysis

Sources and method