Benguela, Angola, Feb. 11, 2026 (Lusa) - More than half of Angola's national road network (58.7%) is not tarmacked, the Minister of Public Works, Urban Planning and Housing said on Wednesday, addressing the challenges of maintaining and conserving the country's tarmacked roads.
Carlos dos Santos announced that Angola's Road Plan estimates that the country has a road network of around 79,300 kilometres, of which 27,600 kilometres are national roads - only about 41% of which are tarmacked - and 51,700 kilometres are municipal roads.
"In this context, the national road network currently has more than 11,400 kilometres of asphalted roads, which represents about 41.3% of the total length of the national road network, posing the challenge of maintaining and conserving this heritage," the minister said today.
Speaking at the opening of the International Seminar on Road Concessions, which is taking place in the Angolan province of Benguela, the minister also said that Angola considers the road network to be one of the drivers of economic development.
He noted that investments are being made in the modernisation of roads, in accordance with international standards, stressing that the Angolan authorities view road concessions as "a strategic tool for mobilising private financing, serving to accelerate structural works and ensure sustainable maintenance and conservation".
According to Angola's Minister of Public Works, public-private partnerships and concession models are also strategic instruments for achieving the goals of the National Development Plan (PDN 2023-2027).
For the minister, the seminar demonstrates the country's clear interest in mobilising private financing for public infrastructure, reducing pressure on the Angolan state's financial resources through the general state budget, and ensuring operational efficiency and sustainable maintenance of road infrastructure.
He also announced that studies and projects are already underway for the construction of the future north-south motorway, with the support of the construction company China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) Angola, a "strategic axis" that will connect Angola from north to south.
He also stressed in his speech that Angola will soon sign a memorandum with a consortium of financial entities to begin studies and projects for the construction of the west-east motorway, which, he emphasised, will be a "true Lobito road corridor of more than 1,300 kilometres".
In turn, the political advisor and representative of the Portuguese Embassy in Angola, Tânia Saraiva, said in her speech that investment in infrastructure, and in particular in the road network, is a fundamental pillar for territorial cohesion, economic dynamism, regional integration and improving the quality of life of the population.
"Discussing models, learning from international and regional experiences and adapting good practices to the Angolan reality is an exercise in responsibility and strategic vision," she stressed, considering, on the other hand, that Angola "is at a decisive moment in the management of its road assets" and that the concession model represents "a commitment by any government to its sustainability and efficiency, seeking a strategic partner in the private sector for the maintenance and protection of roads," she said.
The International Seminar on Road Concessions is a joint initiative of the National Road Institute of Angola (INEA), Portugal's road and rail infrastructure managing company, Infraestruturas de Portugal (IP Engenharia) and the European Union in Angola.
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