Angola renewed its commitment to expand the digital sector’s contribution to GDP as it seeks to reduce dependence on oil and gas.
Internet penetration rose to nearly 45% in early 2025 from 32.6% in early 2023, supported by the Angosat-2 satellite and broadband expansion.
Authorities have yet to publish official targets for the digital economy’s contribution to national output, limiting visibility on the strategy’s measurable impact.
Angola has reaffirmed its ambition to increase the contribution of the digital sector to the country’s gross domestic product as the government accelerates efforts to diversify an economy still heavily dependent on hydrocarbons.
Ângelo Buta João, Secretary of State for Telecommunications and Information Technologies, announced the objective during the opening of the third extended board meeting of Angola Telecom on Friday, May 15.
The strategy comes as Angola faces growing pressure to diversify its economy. The oil and gas industry still accounts for about 30% of Angola’s GDP and remains the country’s main source of state revenue, generating more than 70% of public income and 90% of exports.
Across Africa, the digital economy could represent 5.2% of the continent’s GDP in 2025, equivalent to $180 billion, according to a 2022 report by Endeavor titled “Inflection Point: Africa’s Digital Economy Is Set to Take Off.” The report projected that the sector could grow to $712 billion by 2050.
However, Angolan authorities have not disclosed official figures detailing the digital sector’s current contribution to GDP or the level they aim to achieve. The absence of quantified targets has weakened the scope of the announcement for investors and analysts monitoring the country’s digital transformation strategy.
Still, Angola recorded economic growth of 4.4% in 2024, supported in part by a 5.3% expansion in the non-oil sector, signaling progress toward diversification.
The government’s digital strategy relies on several operational pillars, including fiber-optic deployment, wider mobile-network coverage, the expansion of online public services and the rollout of the Angosat-2 satellite program.
Angosat-2 entered its commercial operations phase in 2025, with operators including Angola Telecom, MSTelcom and Startel using its capacity to expand connectivity coverage.
According to DataReportal, internet penetration in Angola increased from 32.6% in early 2023 to nearly 45% at the beginning of 2025.
Through the Conecta Angola project, which uses satellite infrastructure to connect remote areas, about 366,000 people across 14 provinces gained internet access by October 2024.
Angosat-2 has also attracted growing regional interest. Namibia, Tanzania and Botswana have recently expressed interest in using the satellite’s capabilities to strengthen their own connectivity infrastructure.
Despite recent progress, Angola still trails Africa’s leading digital economies, including Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa.
Without a detailed roadmap supported by measurable targets, Angola’s digital ambitions remain largely political objectives. Analysts note that digital transformation strategies do not automatically translate into stronger GDP contributions without sustained investment, execution capacity and broader private-sector participation.
This article was initially published in French by Adoni Conrad Quenum
Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum