End of an era in Angola?
Angola's controversial leader has relinquished his post, but it's hard to tell whether this will herald a clean break with a murky past for the country and its state oil company
Angola's president, José Eduardo dos Santos, stepped down in August, following nearly four decades in power, during which the country's oil wealth expanded dramatically following the bloody civil war that ended in 2002. This produced little economic benefit for much of the country's still largely impoverished population, but many accusations of rampant corruption. At the time of writing, it was expected that Dos Santos' successor, following the 23 August presidential elections, would be 62-year-old defence minister João Lourenço, the candidate of the ruling Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA). Lourenço vowed to fight corruption, increase transparency and welcome foreign inve
Also in this section
12 December 2025
The federal government is working with Alberta to improve the country’s access to Asian markets and reduce dependence on the US, but there are challenges to their plans
12 December 2025
The latest edition of our annual Outlook publication, titled 'The shape of energy to come: Creating unique pathways and managing shifting alliances', is available now
11 December 2025
The removal of the ban on oil and gas exploration and an overhaul of the system sends all the right messages for energy security, affordability and sustainability
10 December 2025
The economic and environmental cost of the seven-year exploration ban will be felt long after its removal
