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President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s visit to the Luanda Oil Refinery on April 9, 2025 the final day of her official working tour of Angola signals a major strategic move toward strengthening energy cooperation between the two resource-rich nations.
Angola, which holds the second-largest oil reserves in Africa, has built much of its economy around oil production.
Tanzania, meanwhile, is emerging as a key natural gas hub on the continent. The refinery visit is more than symbolic it offers a valuable platform for exchanging technical expertise, building institutional ties, and exploring potential investment partnerships in the energy sector.
According to Director of Presidential Communications, Sharifa Nyanga, the visit “offers an opportunity for the two countries to exchange experience in the oil and gas sector and build the capacity of their professionals.”
This emphasis on skills development points to a longer-term vision of cooperation, beyond diplomacy, into practical collaboration.
While at the refinery, President Samia is expected to be received by Angola’s Minister of Mineral Resources, Petroleum and Gas, Diamantino Pedro Azevedo, further underscoring the high-level engagement.
The diplomatic aspect of the visit also holds significance. On Tuesday evening, President Samia addressed Angola’s Parliament making history as “the first female African Head of State to do so,” according to officials.
This moment not only reflects growing gender representation in leadership but also enhances Tanzania’s soft power in Africa’s political and economic spheres.
Notably, this is the first Tanzanian presidential visit to Angola in 19 years, following a long-standing historical bond.
The founding father of the nation was the first to make an official visit, followed by the fourth-phase President Jakaya Kikwete in 2006, who also addressed Angola’s Parliament in his dual role as President of Tanzania and Chairperson of the African Union.
As Tanzania continues to shape its gas economy and attract international investment, Angola’s refinery expertise and long-standing energy infrastructure offer lessons worth adapting.
This visit could mark the beginning of more structured cooperation in Africa’s evolving energy landscape.
