Jose Eduardo dos Santos

Angola
Somoil expands its Angolan portfolio

The oil junior knows people in high places and has been buying shares in various lucrative blocks over the last year. The funds came in part from a 2018 law allowing the repatriation of funds generated abroad during the Dos Santos era.

Angola
US Supreme Court setback for Aenergy's $550m damages claim

The US justice system has again ruled that it lacks jurisdiction over a dispute between the Portuguese electricity firm Aenergy and the Angolan state. The decision boosts Luanda's hopes that it can have a separate Aenergy claim against it dismissed in a court in the District of Columbia.

Angola
Acrep looks to operate local Angolan block

The upstream company Acrep is hoping to join the very exclusive club of local operators in Angola, Somoil being currently the only other member. Though in business for 17 years, Acrep has thus far only been a minority partner.

Africa, Portugal
Portugal reinforces its diplomatic presence in Africa

At a time when many former colonial powers are reducing the number of diplomats they have in Africa, Portugal is increasing its representation on the continent with the aim of reaping economic reward.

Angola
Somoil consolidates position at TotalEnergies offshore block 17/06

Acrep Bloco 17, which has a 5% stake in block 17/06, was recently renamed Somoil Bloco 17/06 to reflect a change in its shareholder structure. Somoil now holds a 15% stake in this asset, and its first project should enter into production in 2024.

Angola
Angolan oil junior Somoil opens up under boss Dos Santos Sousa

After keeping a low profile for years and nearly going under during the pandemic, Angola's biggest private company Somoil is reinventing itself and opening up under its director general, a former ExxonMobil executive.

The New Guard
Angola, Mozambique, Egypt, Senegal

Every Wednesday, Africa Intelligence reveals the next generation of movers and shakers in business and politics.

EgyptYoussef Salem, the unflappable unicorn creator.

AngolaTerritory administration Minister Dionisio Manuel da Fonseca, João Lourenço's new straight-talking champion.

MozambiqueEmilia Chambal speaks for the Frelimo youth.

SenegalThierno Seydou Ly, the engineer with a career on the fast track.

Angola
Aenergy revives legal battle against Luanda and General Electric

After losing a first case and then an appeal against the Angolan government, General Electric, and its subsidiary GE Capital, the Portuguese firm Aenergy is on the attack again. It filed three fresh complaints with US courts in District of Columbia and in Connecticut on 22 August.

Angola
MPLA chum Somoil juggles projects and departures

The junior oil company founded by dos Santos-era heavyweights has several balls up in the air while dealing with key managerial changes.

DRC, Rwanda
Kagame dispatches his spy masters to Kinshasa

Breaking news published on 15/07/22, 18:45 - According to Africa Intelligence, a delegation of senior Rwandan intelligence officials travelled to Kinshasa on 12 July for a secret meeting with the Congolese services.

Angola
Iskandar Safa's French shipyard CMN hopes to dock back in Luanda

The shipbuilder, a subsidiary of Privinvest owned by the Franco-Lebanese entrepreneur Iskandar Safa, has recently been trying to get back in Angola's good books. CMN signed a major contract in the country in 2016 but it was considerably scaled back by Luanda under pressure from the IMF.

Angola
With a little help from its Lusophone friends, Luanda makes fresh bid to recover stolen assets

Recovering illicit assets lodged abroad by the dos Santos clan is one of the biggest challenges facing President Joao Lourenco, leading him to solicit support from the club of fellow Portuguese-speaking nations which meets in Luanda later this month.