• Angola signs cooperation deal with Brazil to upgrade power system

• Agreement focuses on planning, regulation, and technical capacity

• Power sector still faces low access and high network losses

Angola seeks Brazil’s technical expertise to modernize its electricity sector, as part of a broader push to address persistent gaps in access and infrastructure.

According to Angola’s state news agency ANGOP, the two countries strengthened their cooperation during an official Angolan mission to Brasília, culminating in the signing of a memorandum of understanding covering the entire power sector, from generation to distribution.

The agreement focuses on system planning and includes the exchange of experience in sector organization and public policy design. It also outlines measures to build technical capacity, including training programs, knowledge transfer, and cooperation between public institutions, with a particular focus on regulation and system management.

The memorandum also covers infrastructure, including the modernization of existing power generation, transmission, and distribution facilities. However, it remains a cooperation framework at this stage, setting out areas of collaboration without committing the parties to specific investments or binding obligations. Implementation will depend on follow-up agreements tied to concrete projects.

A broader push to diversify partners

The partnership with Brazil is part of Angola’s wider strategy to diversify its partnerships in the power sector. According to a U.S. Department of Commerce sector guide (2024–2025), China remains a key partner, particularly in financing and building energy infrastructure.

At the same time, Angola has expanded cooperation with other countries. Agreements have been signed with Germany in the energy sector, while the United States is supporting solar and electrification projects through financing from the Export-Import Bank, according to GTReview.

Portugal is also involved through its grid operator Redes Energéticas Nacionais (REN), which is supporting rural electrification projects.

A system under strain

Despite these efforts, Angola’s power sector continues to face structural challenges. World Bank data show that only 51.1% of the population had access to electricity in 2023.

Installed capacity has increased but still falls short of demand. The U.S. Department of Commerce estimates capacity at between 6.2 and 6.3 gigawatts, below the 9.9 gigawatts target set under the Angola Energia 2025 plan.

Beyond capacity constraints, network performance remains a major issue. A 2025 World Bank report under the Electricity Sector Improvement Project shows that technical and commercial losses have historically ranged between 40% and 55%.

Several major projects are underway to address these gaps. The Caculo Cabaça hydropower plant, with a capacity of 2.17 gigawatts, is expected to come online between 2026 and 2027, while the Laúca plant (2.07 gigawatts) has been operational since 2023.

Abdel-Latif Boureima