Capacity Building to Strengthen Oil & Gas Operations in Angola
Angola is actively focusing on strengthening capacity building across the oil and gas sector, aiming to increase local participation and support long-term industry growth. From industry-led programs aimed at transferring skills and expertise to government-led initiatives aimed at supporting education and participation, the country is leveraging capacity building to enhance oil and gas operations.
Industry-Led Programs
Major operators across the country are advancing capacity building through Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) initiatives, education and investment. In 2024, ExxonMobil launched the Africa STEM Program in Angola, part of a $300 million program to promote STEM education for 3,000 African students across Angola, Nigeria, Namibia and Mozambique. The company also sponsors the Eco-Youth Program, which offers vocational training to over 600 girls in Angola’s Benguela and Luanda provinces.
Chevron is also investing in education. Since 2017, the company has invested more than $39.2 million in Angolan programs, focusing on education, economic development and health. Since 2019, over 104 employees have graduated from the company’s early career development programs, advancing skills development in science and related industry disciplines.
Angolan service company association ASSEA launched an initiative to increase local capacity in the country’s oil and gas sector to 20%. The Action for 20% initiative serves as a strategy to direct foreign investment to focus on local content by integrating Angolan companies and developing human capital in the country.
Government-Led Initiatives
The Ministry of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas has various capacity building programs in place to support education in the petroleum industry. Programs includes fellowships, scholarship programs and training seminars. A scholarship program is in place with the Freiberg University of Mines and Technology, with 15 Masters students receiving support; an OPEC Summer Fellowship is available annually; while programs are in place with the Catholic University of Angola.
Meanwhile, part of its 12 measures to support oil production in Angola, the country’s upstream regulator the National Oil, Gas & Biofuels Agency (ANPG) is driving a series of initiatives to boost capacity building. The agency is advancing its Skills Management Project, aimed at supporting knowledge-transfer across the industry. Additionally, the ANPG is looking at creating a dedicated local content fund to support initiatives across the country while improving market access for Angolan firms.
Angola’s Premier Industry Event
The Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) conference – returning for its sixth edition from September 3-4 in Luanda – has long-served as a strategic platform to foster collaboration and local content development. Uniting major operators and service providers with Angolan government, the event addresses challenges surrounding skills development and local participation. Deals signed over the years support capacity building across the industry. At AOG 2024, Angola’s Minister of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas Diamantino Azevedo awarded four scholarships to female petroleum students. The scholarships cover the entire four-year duration of the students’ studies, supporting the inclusion of women in the petroleum industry.
Meanwhile, in 2023, the ANPG signed agreements with three Angolan universities – Universidade Agostinho Neto, the Catholic University of Angola and Instituto Superior Pliténico de Tecnologias e Ciências – to establish a cooperation program to provide technical support for energy development in Angola. In 2025, this momentum will continue, with sessions geared towards unlocking new opportunities for local content and capacity building.
AOG is the largest oil and gas event in Angola. Taking place with the full support of the Ministry of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas; the National Oil, Gas and Biofuels Agency; the Petroleum Derivatives Regulatory Institute; national oil company Sonangol; and the African Energy Chamber; the event is a platform to sign deals and advance Angola’s oil and gas industry. To sponsor or participate as a delegate, please contact sales@energycapitalpower.com.
