The discovery of non-associated gas at the Katambi-2 well in Block 24, located in the Benguela Basin, was among the most significant economic stories in Angola this week.
Preliminary results confirm the presence of high-quality reservoirs. Flow tests recorded a stabilised production rate of 41 million cubic feet of gas per day, with potential to reach 117 million cubic feet per day, alongside 1,160 barrels of condensate per day, according to the National Agency for Petroleum, Gas and Biofuels (ANPG) and Sonangol Exploration and Production.
The find also marks the first complete flow test conducted on a non-associated gas reservoir in Angola. The Block 24 project is expected to generate more than 300 direct jobs and thousands of indirect positions in the country’s southern region, contributing to local economic and social development.
Also in the hydrocarbons sector, Minister of Mineral Resources, Petroleum and Gas Diamantino Azevedo acknowledged that Angola is experiencing fuel shortages driven by rising domestic consumption and higher prices on international markets.
The shortages are linked to logistical constraints, compounded by the fact that fuel in Angola remains subsidised.
On prices, Angola’s headline inflation rate fell to 9.33% in July, a deceleration of 0.78 percentage points relative to June and a decline of 10.15 percentage points compared with the same month a year earlier.
The July reading represents the lowest inflation rate recorded since 2015 in the National Consumer Price Index (IPCN) series, according to the National Statistics Institute (INE).
Another major story of the week was the restoration of core mobile services — voice, messaging, data and internet access — by mobile operator Unitel, nine days after the company suffered a cyberattack on 28 July.
In the days ahead, Unitel said it will continue internal optimisation and monitoring of its technology infrastructure, as well as the normalisation of complementary systems, to ensure continuity of the services already restored.
The week also highlighted data showing that the insurance and pension fund market manages assets and liabilities in excess of 2.25 trillion kwanzas, covering the protection of assets, businesses, families and long-term savings.
Total assets held by insurance companies reached 1.013 trillion kwanzas (approximately US$1.11 billion) in 2025, representing growth of 27% year-on-year.
Also making headlines was a cooperation protocol signed between the National Bank of Angola (BNA) and the Ministry of Interior (MININT), centred on promoting financial education and inclusion, and combating illegal financial activity in the country.
The first pillar of the agreement focuses on improving the financial and economic literacy of police personnel through training and awareness actions covering the management of personal and household finances.
This component also encourages the safe use of financial products and services to broaden access to payment systems, with particular emphasis on mobile payments.
In capital markets, trading volumes on Angola’s Debt and Securities Exchange (BODIVA) reached 494.72 billion kwanzas in June, representing month-on-month growth of 9.37% and a positive year-on-year variation of 9.98%.
The number of transactions executed during the period stood at 4,132, equivalent to a monthly decrease of 0.96%, despite a year-on-year increase of 69.69%.
In tourism, the first phase of an instalment payment programme for tourism services was launched this week, integrating sector operators to make national products and activities more accessible to citizens through more flexible payment arrangements.
The integration process will run over 45 days, with the first phase covering the provinces of Luanda, Namibe, Benguela, Huíla and Malanje.
Also in tourism, Josemar Euclides Afonso was sworn in as the new Secretary of State for Tourist Asset Management and Concessions, a position recently created to address the need for rigorous oversight of state assets, asset valorisation and investment attraction in the sector.
The week also saw the entry into force of Angola’s Law Against False Information on the Internet, which establishes civil and criminal liability for those who spread disinformation online.
The legislation introduces preventive measures and accountability mechanisms for the production or dissemination of false information online that violates rights to a good name, honour, reputation, image, privacy of personal and family life, as well as the protection of democratic processes and state and judicial secrets.
Following the law’s passage, the Ghanaian specialist portal Africa Headline noted that the legislation positions Angola among Africa’s most comprehensive legal frameworks for combating digital manipulation.
The publication added that the new law also places Angola at the forefront of efforts to counter artificial intelligence-driven deception and coordinated digital influence operations, at a time when information has become a central strategic asset.
Source: ANGOP / Original article: https://www.angop.ao/noticias/economia/descoberta-de-um-poco-de-gas-em-benguela-entre-os-destaques-da-semana/
