• Angola approves $167 million road to connect Luanda to Mussulo

• Project aims to cut travel time and ease access to coastal area

• Authorities see tourism potential despite sector’s sharp decline

Angola has approved a nearly $167 million road project to connect Luanda to Mussulo Island, according to local media reports citing a presidential decree. The planned 39-kilometer road is intended to open up a coastal area that is currently accessible mainly by boat or via a roughly 67-kilometer road.

For the government, this limited access has constrained the supply of essential goods and services and weighed on living conditions for local residents.

The project is part of Angola’s 2023–2027 National Development Plan, which includes a broader push to expand and upgrade the country’s road network through new construction, rehabilitation, and maintenance. Beyond improving mobility, authorities also see the road as a way to support tourism.

Mussulo Island is considered a high-potential destination at a time when Angola’s tourism sector remains under pressure. Official data show that tourism’s contribution to GDP dropped sharply from 1.3% in 2016 to 0.01% in 2022. In value terms, revenue fell from $628 million to $24 million, a decline largely linked to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Over the same period, Angola recorded 1,351,733 international visitors, mainly from the Middle East, the United States, Africa, and Europe. To revive the sector, the government has introduced several incentives, including a visa exemption launched in October 2023 for citizens of 98 countries, including 14 in Africa. The policy allows stays of up to 30 days per entry, with a maximum of 90 days per year.

Henoc Dossa