Luanda, July 21, 2026 (Lusa) - Portugal's Secretary of State for the Economy, João Rui Ferreira, has stated in Luanda that Portuguese companies are not daunted by the growing international competition in the Angolan market, emphasising their ability to adapt to competitive economies around the world.
«Global competition for markets is something Portuguese companies are used to,» said the minister, on the sidelines of the 9th Angola-Portugal Business Networking event, organised by the Portugal-Angola Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIPA) in partnership with the Portuguese Business Association (AEP) and the Portuguese Agency for Investment and Foreign Trade (AICEP) on Monday evening.
The event took place on the eve of the opening of the 41st Luanda International Fair (FILDA), which runs from Tuesday to Saturday in the Luanda-Bengo Special Economic Zone.
When asked whether Portuguese companies' interest in the Angolan market was waning, João Rui Ferreira replied that the main sign of interest is «precisely the strong participation in FILDA» and the presence of many companies in the country, both in terms of investment and exports.
He was responding to Lusa regarding recently published data showing a decline in Portugal's share of the Angolan market, with 713 fewer Portuguese companies exporting to Angola in 2025 compared with 2021, despite the value of sales having increased by 14.6% over the same period.
Similarly, Angolan investment in Portugal has more than doubled since 2021 and is now almost double the level of Portuguese investment in Angola.
The minister argued that the historical relationship between the two countries, whilst not in itself sufficient to generate business, constitutes a competitive advantage.
«No business is conducted solely on the basis of historical relations, but one thing is fundamental: that relationship of trust and that shared understanding will foster the development of new business,» he said, also highlighting the shared language as a factor in cooperation.
Regarding Angola's diversification of partners – as it seeks to attract investors from around the world – he described the competition as «natural» and expressed confidence in Portuguese expertise in the areas of technological development and innovation, pointing to start-ups as an opportunity for the Angolan market.
He noted that his agenda in Luanda includes, in addition to FILDA, bilateral meetings with the Angolan minister of planning and the minister of economic cooperation, with a view to removing any potential constraints and transaction costs for businesses.
As for expectations regarding Portuguese exports to Angola this year, he was cautious in his forecasts, given the «unpredictable context», but described the figures for the first half of the year as positive, viewing them with «optimism».
Preliminary data from Statistics Portugal (INE) point to a 9% increase in Portuguese exports to Angola in the first four months of 2026, reaching €361.4 million.
He also noted that the Portuguese Government launched support schemes for internationalisation last year, worth around €200 million, aimed at individual and joint international promotion initiatives, as well as brand enhancement and e-commerce.
At FILDA this year, the AEP is leading a delegation of 20 Portuguese companies that will be taking part in the largest international trade event held in Angola.
The 2025 edition of the fair brought together around 1,800 companies from 18 countries and generated a turnover of over $60 million (around €51.6 million).
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