Sonangol: Angola’s Charm Offensive

This is one in a series of case studies that illustrates the principles of the Natural Resource Charter.

A significant component of Angola’s productive oil sector is Sonangol, the national oil company. Despite the country’s history of political instability and lack of technical expertise, Sonangol has managed to maximize revenue for the government and create an investor-friendly environment. The company is well regarded by the international and regional oil industry. However, Sonangol performs functions that may be out of its remit and a complex relationship exists between the government and the company that has ultimately weakened its transparency and created mistrust among the public.