Angola has signed investment agreements valued at approximately $900 million with Chinese investors to develop infrastructure at the Barra do Dande Integrated Development Free Zone, a project the government expects will strengthen the country’s logistics capacity, support industrial growth and enhance its role in regional trade networks.
The agreements were concluded between the Sociedade de Desenvolvimento da Barra do Dande (SDBD) and Chinese-linked firms Huatong Angola Industry Ltd. and Berkshire Waterhouse Infrastructure Development Ltd. The agreements cover the development of a port terminal and supporting infrastructure within the free zone, located north of Luanda.
According to SDBD, the project will be financed through private sector investment and will involve two separate concession agreements. The first covers the development and operation of the port terminal, with an estimated investment of about $450 million, while the second relates to infrastructure development within the wider free zone, bringing the total planned investment to $900 million.
SDBD Chairman Roque Saraiva said the concessions would run for 25 years, with the possibility of renewal depending on commercial performance and long-term sustainability.
The Barra do Dande Port Terminal is expected to be developed in three phases. The first phase is projected to take approximately 24 months, with subsequent stages expected to be completed between 2029 and 2030. Once operational, the facility is expected to support exports from companies operating within the free zone and provide additional logistics capacity for Angola’s growing industrial sector.
The planned terminal will be capable of handling vessels of up to 80,000 tonnes and is projected to facilitate commercial activity exceeding $10 billion annually. The development is part of Angola’s wider strategy to improve domestic infrastructure, expand manufacturing capacity and reduce dependence on crude oil revenues by promoting sectors such as logistics, industry and trade.
Zhang WenDong, Chairman of Huatong Angola Industry, said the port development would contribute to improving transport connectivity, increasing logistics efficiency and supporting industrial activity in the region.
“Once completed, the Barra do Dande Port Terminal will be of strategic importance in improving the regional transport system, expanding logistics capacity and promoting industrial development,” Zhang said.
The investment comes as Angola continues efforts to strengthen its position as a regional economic gateway. The country’s geographic location along the Atlantic coast provides access to international shipping routes, while improved infrastructure is viewed as central to expanding trade links with neighbouring markets in Central and Southern Africa.
However, project representatives have acknowledged that logistics constraints remain a challenge for industrial development. Zhang highlighted the importance of coordinated policy support, including the development of shipping routes and efficient logistics systems, to ensure that new infrastructure delivers broader economic benefits.
Berkshire Waterhouse Infrastructure Development representative João Rufino said the investment would be released in phases following completion of regulatory approvals. The financing package is expected to support the construction of port facilities, energy infrastructure and road networks connecting the free zone with domestic and international markets.
The Barra do Dande Free Zone forms part of Angola’s broader industrialisation agenda and is expected to create around 21,000 jobs once fully developed. The area already hosts industrial projects, including the Aluminium Industrial Park developed by Huatong Angola Industry, where the first phase entered production earlier this year, creating direct and indirect employment opportunities.
Additional developments in the area include the Sino Ord Integrated Industrial Park, which is planned to include multiple manufacturing facilities, as well as an edible oil refinery expected to be completed by 2028.
For Angola, the investment represents an attempt to build productive capacity beyond the oil sector and strengthen participation in regional and global value chains. Across Africa, governments have increasingly prioritised infrastructure development, industrial zones and trade connectivity as tools for economic transformation, although the long-term impact of such projects will depend on implementation, local economic participation and the ability to create sustainable value beyond construction phases.
The Barra do Dande project reflects Angola’s broader ambition to position itself as an industrial and logistics hub on Africa’s Atlantic coastline, while contributing to wider continental efforts to improve intra African trade and economic integration.
