Luanda: The increase in the economically active population in Angola to 18 million, 199 thousand, and 957 people, in the second quarter of this year, was one of the headlines that stood out most in the economic area of ANGOP, this week that ends today, Saturday. This indicator represented an increase of 45,242 (0.2%) jobs compared to the previous period (first quarter of 2025), according to the National Statistics Institute (INE).
According to Angola Press News Agency, the unemployment rate registered a reduction of 1.9 percentage points, reaching 28.8% compared to 29.4% in the previous quarter. Another topic that also dominated the economic news was the beginning of the presentation of documents from the companies that were vandalized, between the 28th and 30th of last July, in the country, to request credit from the Savings and Credit Bank (BPC), as part of the Executive's support to these companies. On the first day of this process, three vandalized and looted companies submitted their documents in Luanda, according to the state bank's Marketing Director, Jos© Matoso.
In the agricultural field, the highlight was the fact that the country harvested, during the 2024-2025 agricultural campaign, 30 million 528 thousand and 290 tons of various products, which represented an increase of 8.5% (2,381,097 tons) compared to the previous period, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MINAGRIF). According to the provisional indicators of this ministerial department, of this figure, three million 736 thousand and two tons of cereals were harvested, 254 thousand and 355 more than in the previous period, with emphasis on rice which grew 33.1% and wheat which went from 30 thousand and 508 to 34 thousand and 874, corresponding to 14.3%.
On the other hand, egg production in Angola grew 16.4% during the first half of 2025, an increase of 159 million, 474 thousand, and five units. In other words, the country produced 1 billion, 133 million, 547 thousand, and 436 eggs in the last six months, compared to 974 million, 73 thousand, and 431 in the previous period. This week also highlighted the 40,000 companies from various sectors of economic activity that have been certified by the National Institute for Support to Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (INAPEM) throughout the country over the last 33 years. The data was revealed by the head of the business support department at INAPEM in Luanda, Gisela Moreira, during a consultation meeting with local economic agents, part of the program of celebrations for the 33rd anniversary of this institution, to be celebrated on the 28th of this month.
Regarding imports, 18,329 shipping certificates related to import operations of various products were issued during the first quarter of this year in the country, registering a growth of 10% compared to the previous period, according to the report of the Regulatory Agency for Cargo Certification and Logistics of Angola (ARCCLA). In the same period, 349 certificates linked to exports were also issued, which represented a moderate increase of 31 percentage points, compared to the first three months of 2024, which recorded a total of 16,946 such documents for imports and exports.
In the oil sector, it was announced that Angola acquired, in the last three months, nine million 442 thousand 565 metric tons of petroleum derivatives, representing a decrease of approximately 18% compared to the previous quarter, with the country having spent USD 438 million (1 dollar to 911.95 kwanzas). In terms of trade, the business portfolio between Angola and the Kingdom of Norway generated more than four billion dollars in 2024, with prospects of increasing to USD 5 billion this year, according to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of both countries. According to the president of this Chamber, Antonio da Silva, the business volume obtained in 2024 resulted mainly from the oil industry (around 97 percent), with the surplus (three percentage points) related to trade and the provision of services.
Another impactful note was the participation of the Minister of Energy and Water, Joo Baptista Borges, in the African Union Water Investment Summit (AIP-AU), in Cape Town, South Africa, under the guidance of the South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa. Under the motto 'solidarity, equality and sustainability,' the event aimed to identify sources of financing to cover the estimated $30 billion annual deficit for the water sector in Africa.
Also noteworthy was the fact that Angolan President Joo Louren§o, in his capacity as President of the African Union, mobilized more than 100 companies from the continent to participate in the 13th International Forum on Industrial Cooperation, which opened this week in Istanbul (Turkey), a fact that was praised by the Turkish Minister of Commerce, Omer Bolat. During the event's opening ceremony, the official highlighted the efforts of the President of Angola to attract companies from several African countries interested in strengthening cooperation with Turkey.
