Surroundings in Angola

Electricity, water and sanitation have a particularly strong effect on daily life. In 2023, around 43% of the population had access to electricity, including about 90% in cities and less than 10% in rural areas. The national electricity distributor and retailer (ENDE) operates distribution and sales nationwide, while the Ministry of Energy and Water (MINEA) oversees the energy sector. Access is provided through the public grid or decentralized solutions such as solar power; costs, connection times and continuity of supply depend on the location, tariff and specific project. In 2024, about 68% of the population had at least basic drinking-water services. The figure for at least basic sanitation was about 52% in 2022, while around 19% had a handwashing facility with water and soap in 2024. No reliable nationwide figure for safely managed water supply is available. Households use public networks, water points, boreholes, wells or community management (MoGeCa) in some places. The National Directorate for Water and Sanitation (DNAAS) and the Institute for Water and Sanitation Regulation (IRSEA) work in the water and sanitation sector; the Luanda water utility (EPAL-EP) supplies Luanda in particular, while provinces, municipalities (Municípios) and regional providers perform additional tasks. Network distance, continuity, water quality and price determine which supply is practically available. Wastewater and fecal-sludge services remain incomplete in many areas. Waste disposal is contractually and organizationally fragmented, especially in cities. The National Waste Agency (ANR) regulates national waste policy, licenses, collection zones and disposal; a waste-management support body (PESGRU) supports waste management. Angola generates approximately 5.2 million tonnes of waste per year, more than 60% of which is disposed of uncontrollably in open dumps. Municipal collection, approved disposal facilities, recycling and sorting, and informal collectors coexist. The Cleaning and Sanitation Fee (Taxa de Limpeza e Saneamento) is being implemented, but its amount, coverage and collection frequency depend on the location. Open dumping and burning pollute air and water and can block drainage during heavy rain. Operators are subject to requirements for approved disposal as well as operator and permit obligations. For air quality, the WHO-GHO database gives a modeled PM2.5 concentration of 20.15 µg/m³ for Angola’s urban areas in 2019. The 2025 WHO assessment therefore places it at approximately five times the WHO guideline value; the figure is model- and indicator-based and is not a current measurement for a specific location. Common sources include diesel generators, traffic and road dust, waste burning and industry. The environmental management authority (INGA) is involved in environmental quality standards, laboratory work and pollution control. A dense nationwide public monitoring or alert portal and a uniform complaints procedure have not been established. Noise mainly comes from generators, construction sites, businesses, nightlife and traffic as sources in the surrounding environment. No nationwide noise maps, uniform measurements or central complaints offices have been established for Angola; the responsible local administration and environmental enforcement therefore have to be checked on site. Green spaces are experienced in terms of shade, usability, maintenance, lighting and accessibility. INGA, the Ministry of Environment (Ministério do Ambiente), and provinces and Municípios promote or manage such spaces, but no nationwide standard for parks, maintenance, access or opening hours has been established. Costs and access times depend on the location and operator. Water scarcity and prolonged drought particularly affect the south. Across the country, rainfall variability, flooding, erosion and heat alter conditions; blocked drainage can intensify flooding in cities. The National Meteorology and Geophysics Institute (INAMET) provides weather and climate information, while the Civil Protection and Fire Service (SPCB) and the Ministry of Interior (MININT) are involved in disaster preparedness and assistance. There is no uniform local warning and protection solution. Safety risks in the living environment include flooding, fires, open drainage facilities, waste, unlit paths, landmines and explosive remnants of war. SPCB is responsible, among other things, for preparedness and rescue during floods and fires. The National Mine Action Agency (ANAM) coordinates national mine clearance; Angola requested an extension of the clearance deadline to 2030 in 2025. In former conflict areas, particularly Moxico, Cuando Cubango and Bié, only marked and cleared areas may be entered. Unknown objects must not be touched. Clearance and release depend on the relevant programme and location; there is no general fee or nationwide timetable. Infrastructure, industrial, raw-material, water or waste projects may require an environmental licence with public participation. Under Presidential Decree 117/20, projects are screened in advance: categories A and B require a detailed environmental impact assessment (EIA), category C requires a simplified environmental assessment (EAS), and category D does not require an environmental licence. Affected and interested members of the public may submit comments; the procedure includes a report and public announcement of the final decision. The Ministry of Environment or the responsible environmental authority, the project provider, and local and provincial bodies participate. The procedural language is Portuguese. For preliminary screening or the declaration of category D, the regulation specifies 24 hours; an environmental licence may be issued within 8 working days after a positive decision and payment of the fee. Comments may be submitted for up to 30 days, and fees depend on the project and category; the state and autonomous local authorities (Autarquias) are exempt. Ongoing urbanization and settlement expansion, new infrastructure, water and waste projects, mining, industry and climate change are altering water, air, soil, green spaces and safety. Environmental assessment, local consultation and environmental requirements provide the formal framework for handling such projects. Displacement and compensation must be examined separately for each project. Angola has no nationwide portal combining all aspects of living-environment quality, no uniform noise and air monitoring, no guaranteed municipal complaints channel and no standardized green-space service. Formal, non-formal and informal solutions coexist and must be checked according to the location.