Angola has reached a landmark in its energy transformation, with renewable sources now accounting for approximately 70 per cent of the country’s total electricity consumption — a remarkable turnaround for a nation that, just over a decade ago, ran its power system predominantly on thermal generation.
Minister of State for Economic Coordination José de Lima Massano announced the achievement in Luanda, noting that hydropower alone contributes more than 60 per cent of the national energy mix. The disclosure underscores the pace and scale of Angola’s structural shift away from fossil fuel-based electricity generation.
The numbers behind the transformation are striking. Angola’s electricity generation capacity has nearly quadrupled over the past decade — rising from 1,772 megawatts in 2012 to 6,400 megawatts in 2025. Over the same period, the country expanded its very high-voltage transmission network to 5,950 kilometres while significantly strengthening distribution infrastructure nationwide.
“This transformation is clearly reflected in the national energy matrix,” Massano said. “In 2012, Angola’s power system was predominantly thermoelectric. Today, around 70 per cent of the electricity consumed in the country comes from renewable sources, with hydropower accounting for more than 60 per cent. This has contributed to lower operating costs and enhanced environmental sustainability.”
The government has set an even more ambitious target for the near term: raising the renewable share of electricity generation to 73 per cent by 2027, according to Minister of Energy and Water João Baptista Borges, who also noted that energy and water are fundamental pillars of social stability, economic competitiveness, national sovereignty, and geopolitical influence.
Massano highlighted the broader economic dividend flowing from the energy reforms. Improvements in power supply have created favourable conditions for growth across agriculture, manufacturing, mining, tourism, telecommunications, and logistics — sectors the government is counting on to diversify an economy historically dominated by oil revenues. Angola has reclaimed its position as Africa’s sixth-largest economy and the third-largest in Sub-Saharan Africa, a ranking it recovered in 2025 on the back of two consecutive years of strong economic growth.
Significant progress is also being recorded in the water sector. Two flagship projects — the Bita and Quilonga Grande water schemes in Luanda and Icolo e Bengo provinces — are expected to produce more than 777,000 cubic metres of potable water per day and extend services to approximately 7.5 million people.
Borges acknowledged that challenges persist, including unequal access to electricity and clean water, regional disparities, and infrastructure constraints that will require sustained investment and effective implementation to overcome.
Source: angolanminingoilandgas.com