The bids for the 2023 Licensing Round were opened last week in Luanda. A total of 22 companies submitted bids, of which 12 are foreign and 10 Angolan. The blocks that attracted more interest were KON15, CON8 and KON19 which received 12, 10 and 8 proposals respectively. No bids were submitted for KON1, KON3 and KON14. ANPG will now proceed to evaluate the bids until 31 December 2023. An announcement on the winning bids is expected shortly thereafter.

Below is a list of the companies that submitted bids (noting whether the bid is for “operator” or “non-operator”).

BLOCK CON 2

Operator

Etu Energias

Soconinfa

Walcot Group

Non-Operator

Effimax Energy, Lda

Monka Oil

Simples Oil

BLOCK CON 3

Operator

Kebo Energy

Index Petrolube

Non-Operator

None

BLOCK CON 7

Operator

Ace Consults

Kebo Energy

Index Petrolube

Non-Operator

Enagol, Lda

BLOCK CON 8

Operator

Ace Consults

Etu Energias

Kebo Energy

Tusker Energy

Non-Operator

ANM Energy/Quimene

Effimax Energy, Lda

Enagol, Lda

Gesp Energy

Monka Oil

Simples Oil

BLOCK KON 1

No bids

BLOCK KON 3

No bids

BLOCK KON 7

Operator

5C Oil & Gas

Non-Operator

Enagol, Lda

BLOCK KON 10

Operator

5C Oil & Gas

Whazimi Investment

Non-Operator

Soconinfa

BLOCK KON 13

Operator

Intank Group

Serinus Energy

Simples Oil

Whazimi Investment

Non-Operator

Effimax Energy, Lda

Sonangol

BLOCK KON 14

No bids

BLOCK KON 15

Operator

5C Oil & Gas

ACREP, SA

Apex/Corcel

Kebo Energy

Serinus Energy

Simples Oil

Sonangol

Transoceanic Group

Tusker Energy

Non-Operator

Afentra

ANM Energy/Quimene

Intank Group

BLOCK KON 19

Operator

5C Oil & Gas

ACREP, SA

Kebo Energy

Transoceanic Group

Tusker Energy

Whazwimi Investment

Non-Operator

Afentra

Enagol, Lda

If you have any questions, please get in touch with Rui Amendoeira at rui.amendoeira@onelegal.pt

Presidential Decree 213/23, of 30 October 2023, enacted a new “Legal Regime to Incentivize Domestic Production”. Highlights of the new regime:

DP 213/23 is applicable to the following entities:

• Domestic producers of “consumer goods” and “made in Angola” products;
• Wholesalers and retailers which aggregate domestic goods/products;
• Importers of consumer goods;
• Public entities.

The Ministry of Industry and Commerce will define the list of “consumer goods” covered by DP 213/23. This list may be updated from time to time;

The state must support the installation of factories and other industrial facilities for the processing and improvement of consumer goods produced domestically;

Wholesalers and retailers which aggregate domestic goods/products are eligible to obtain incentives from the state, including access to credit in favorable terms;

The above is also applicable to cooperatives or “alliances” of domestic producers, wholesalers, retailers and other entities;

The importation of goods and products is subject to authorization from the Ministry of Economy. In order to obtain an authorization the importer must have consulted the local market first, and agree to acquire any available local production or otherwise engage in initiatives to promote or support such production;

Public entities must acquire goods/products made in Angola on a preferential basis. Importation is only permitted in case the goods/products are not available in Angola;

The Ministry of Industry and Commerce must collect and publish, on an annual basis, a forecast of:

• The supply needs of domestic producers to be imported from abroad;
• The consumer goods to be imported from abroad.

This information must be made available by no later than 15 September each year.

Domestic producers must upload information on the Ministry of Industry and Commerce portal regarding their production (types of goods/products, quantities and prices).

Presidential Decree 23/19, of 14 January 2019, is repealed.

PD 213/23 is effective 90 days from its publication (on 29 January 2024).

Rui Amendoeira, OneLegal Partner