The Angolan Government continues to award public contracts through direct procurement without disclosing the identities of the beneficiary companies in several high-value projects, a practice that is raising serious concerns about transparency, competition, and public oversight of state spending.
During the first six months of the year, President João Lourenço authorized direct contracts worth approximately US$13.7 billion, representing a 243% increase compared with the same period last year. Among the largest projects is the planned railway linking Malanje, Cuito, and Menongue, valued at around US$5.4 billion. However, the presidential decrees reviewed do not identify the companies responsible for carrying out the project or the entities providing the financing, making it impossible for the public to know who stands to benefit from one of the country’s largest public contracts in recent years.
The omission of the contractors’ identities is repeated in other large-scale projects, including tourism developments and infrastructure works, reinforcing criticism over the growing lack of transparency in Angola’s public procurement system.
Experts interviewed by Expansão argue that the systematic use of direct procurement weakens oversight mechanisms and eliminates competition among companies. According to researcher Heitor Carvalho, simplified procurement “virtually removes the transparency required in these contracts,” and he advocates legislative reform so that this mechanism is once again used only in genuinely exceptional circumstances.
Economist Silva Pedro also argues that this procurement method is inherently less transparent and restricts market competition. While acknowledging the government’s financial constraints, he says the frequent use of direct awards undermines equal opportunities for economic operators and makes it more difficult for the public to scrutinize how state funds are being spent.
Another issue highlighted by analysts is the reliance on external financing, which is often linked to the direct award of public contracts. According to the experts, this model tends to favour large corporate groups capable of securing international financing, while excluding many domestic companies that lack the same financial capacity.
Economist Fernandes Manuel believes the sharp increase in direct procurement may also be linked to the approach of the country’s general elections, as governments typically accelerate public works projects ahead of elections. He argues that the need to secure external financing often results in contracts being awarded directly to the companies capable of providing that financing, bypassing competitive public tenders.
Angolan law allows the President to authorize direct public contracts without a maximum value limit when justified by financing-related criteria. Even so, legal experts argue that this framework requires stronger oversight mechanisms. Hélder Sebastião maintains that the Court of Auditors should conduct prior reviews of these contracts and monitor their implementation, given the substantial amounts involved and the public interest in ensuring that state resources are properly managed.
The lack of information regarding the companies receiving these contracts ultimately raises a broader issue that goes beyond the legality of the procurement process: transparency. Without disclosing the identities of the beneficiaries of public contracts, it becomes impossible for citizens, oversight institutions, and civil society to assess potential conflicts of interest, evaluate whether genuine competition exists, or scrutinize how billions of dollars in public resources are being allocated.
17/07/2026
