UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT
ANGOLA
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
STRATEGY REVIEW
ii
Angola Entrepreneurship Policy Review
© 2024, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
The ndings, interpretations and conclusions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not
necessarily reect the views of the United Nations or its ofcials or Member States.
The designations employed and the presentation of material on any map in this work do not imply the
expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any
country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.
Mention of any rm or licensed process does not imply the endorsement of the United Nations.
This report has not been formally edited.
UNCTAD/TCS/DIAE/INF/2024/1
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Angola Entrepreneurship Policy Review
Table of contents
I. Context .......................................................................................................................1
1.1. Background to a national entrepreneurship strategy ............................................................... 1
1.2. Angola’s entrepreneurial ecosystem ........................................................................................3
1.3. Status of entrepreneurship in Angola .......................................................................................6
II. National Entrepreneurship Strategy .........................................................................7
III. Action plan .............................................................................................................11
Annex I - Example of indicators to measure effectiveness
of entrepreneurship policies .......................................................................................19
Annex II - The UNCTAD Entrepreneurship Policy Framework ...................................20
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Angola Entrepreneurship Policy Review
List of acronyms
AfCFTA African Continental Free Trade Area
AIPEX Agency for Private Investment and Exports Promotion
BDA Development Bank of Angola
BNA National Bank of Angola
CLESEs Local Center of Entrepreneurship and Employment Services
EPF Entrepreneurship Policy Framework of UNCTAD
FRACA Fundo Activo de Capital de Risco Angolano
GDP Gross Domestic Product
INAPEM National Institute of Support to Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises
INEFOP National Institute of Employment and Professional Training
MAPTSS Ministry of Public Administration, Work and Social Security
MASFAMU Ministry of Social Work, Family and Women’s Empowerment
MEP Ministry of Economy and Planning
MESCTI Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation
MINAGRIF Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
MINDCOM Ministry of Industry and Commerce
MINJUD Ministry of Youth and Sports
MINTTICS Ministry of Telecommunications, Information Technologies and Social Communication
MIREMPET Ministry of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas
MJDH Ministry of Justice and Human Rights
MSMEs Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises
NDP National Development Plan
NES National Entrepreneurship Strategy
PAC Credit Access Project
PRODESI Programme to Support Production, Export Diversication and Import Substitution
SADC Southern African Development Community
SEZs Special Economic Zones
TVET Technical and Vocational Education and Training
UNCTAD United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
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Angola Entrepreneurship Policy Review
I. Context
The current document has been prepared by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
(UNCTAD) under the TrainforTrade II EU-UNCTAD joint Programme for Angola that came to an end in
December 2023 and further to the request of the Government of Angola to provide support in the design
of a national entrepreneurship strategy (NES).
This document on priority interventions is in line with Angola 2050 strategy that provides a long-term
vision of the country’s future, including its insertion in the international context over the next decades, and
the country’s National Development Plan 2023-2027. It should be read in conjunction with the Mapping
and assessment report of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Angola dated 2020 and the Report on the
multistakeholder dialogue of the elaboration of the national entrepreneurship policy of 2023, available
respectively in Annexes III and IV. It can be used as a basis for continued national consultations.
The ndings were successfully presented to INAPEM and stakeholders involved in the entrepreneurship
ecosystem in Angola during an online webinar in December 2023. The feedback received during the
webinar and additional comments in line with the scope of the project have been included in the document
which is now concluded.
The National Institute of Support to Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (INAPEM) may wish
to consider using the priority interventions to contribute to the country’s agenda of improving Angola’s
business environment for a diversied and competitive economy.
UNCTAD worked in close collaboration with INAPEM that falls under the Ministry of Economy and Planning
of Angola.
INAPEM and UNCTAD are grateful to all parties who participated in the consultation process to design a
national entrepreneurship strategy.
1.1. Background to a national entrepreneurship strategy
In 2022, Angola was the eighth economy in Africa with a GDP of USD 107 billion.
1
It is a least developed
country that is slated for graduation in 2024, with an economy that is characterized by high dependence
on extractive sectors of oil and gas.
Its economic performance has been closely linked to global oil demand and prices which varied greatly over
the years, putting an important strain on the country’s social-economic development.
The Governments considers entrepreneurship critical for the country’s development and is promoting it as
such, resulting among others in the percentage of adult population that views entrepreneurship as a good
career to grow signicantly over the last few years. While entrepreneurship and economic diversication are
high on the agenda, informality levels and unemployment are high - particularly of vulnerable groups such
as women and youth. Furthermore, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy, especially
on entrepreneurial activity as well as the global call for an energy transition, cascading crises and the
international investment climate underlines the country’s exposure to external shocks and inuences the
level of resilience of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).
1
World Bank, https://data.worldbank.org/country/AO
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Angola Entrepreneurship Policy Review
While there are several characteristics that make Angola’s entrepreneurial ecosystem a stimulating
environment for the entrepreneurial activity, there are still certain obstacles preventing the country to unlock
its full entrepreneurial potential, as described in annexes II and III.
Angola has not developed yet a national entrepreneurship strategy per se, however, the country has several
initiatives on different fronts aimed at promoting entrepreneurship. Many of these initiatives, notably those
led by the Angolan government, are highlighted in the latest National Development Plans (NDP) of 2018-
2022 and 2023-2027
2
that are based on Angola’s 2050 long-term development strategy.
3
These initiatives
have also been supported by efforts made to have a strong and operational institutional framework.
The Angola 2050 strategy presents ve priority development axes, namely (1) a society that values and
boosts its human capital, with an emphasis on education and technical-vocational training (TVET), health
and youth, (2) a modern and competitive infrastructure, prioritizing the energy and water sectors, mobility,
housing and telecommunications, (3) a diversied and prosperous economy, focusing on agriculture,
livestock, sheries, forestry, manufacturing, mineral resources and tourism, (4) a resilient and sustainable
ecosystem, focusing on the environment, water management and forestry, and (5) a fair nation with equal
opportunities, prioritizing justice and human rights, national defense, social protection, gender quality, and
social inclusion.
Following a broad consultation process, the NDP 2023-2027 was approved by the Council of Ministers
in September 2023 and materializes the objectives set in the Angola 2050 strategy related to economic
diversication and economic growth led by the private sector. Key pillars are the development of human
capital in order to improve standards of living by raising the qualication level and providing more and better
opportunities to improve standards of living and the raise of food security level to have a balanced diet,
increase national production and employment and make the country less dependent on foreign countries.
In addition to the pillars, the NDP provides a set of seven lters to accelerate the impact of the development
process, among which (a) the strengthening of the business environment to decongest and demystify the
concept of the State as the country’s largest employer, (b) fostering entrepreneurship and (c) positioning the
private sector as the main driver of economic development. The NDP also aims at transversal development
seeking to impact vulnerable communities, gender equality and youth, among others.
Through the NDP, Angola intends to set a new development paradigm that places the empowerment of
people as the driver of the country’s structural socio-economic transformation.
It is therefore key for Angola to develop a national entrepreneurship strategy with a long-term vision,
easily accessible online, that gives a perspective and allows entrepreneurs to plan and project
their businesses into the future.
Such a strategy will help align entrepreneurship development to other country-level improvement in
human capital, improvements in digitalization, infrastructure, and transports, which are critical to develop
opportunities and productive capacities which can contribute to economic diversication.
It is meant to clarify and operationalize how entrepreneurship can contribute to overall national development
objectives. In order for it to be successful, it needs to be tailored according to specic conditions in Angola,
particularly taking into account its challenges and opportunities and address the needs of different types of
entrepreneurs. The strategy should also clearly ash out how it helps unlock full entrepreneurship potential
through goals and priorities, be coherent with other national policies, ensure policy learning through
monitoring and assessment, and be accompanied by institutional framework strengthening. Finally, it
2
https://www.mep.gov.ao/assets/indicadores/angola2050/20231030(3)_layout_Final_Angola_PDN%202023-2027-1.pdf
3
https://www.mep.gov.ao/assets/indicadores/angola2050/angola2050-completa.pdf
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Angola Entrepreneurship Policy Review
should promote entrepreneurial skills development, innovation and digitalization in order for MSMEs and
tech start-ups to remain competitive and be able to grow.
1.2. Angola’s entrepreneurial ecosystem
An entrepreneurial ecosystem consists of several stakeholders that play or could play active roles in
facilitating entrepreneurship development. In this system, stakeholders establish mutually benecial and
self-sustaining relationships. Their main characteristic is that they are enabling environments for the creation
of entrepreneurial and innovative ventures.
Stakeholders in Angola’s entrepreneurial ecosystem are public institutions, private business, academic
institutions of higher education, Technical and Vocational Education and Training centers, among others.
In table 1, a list of stakeholders is presented, and although not exhaustive, it represents a sample of
stakeholders that have succeeded in being active and further developed the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Table 1 - List of stakeholders in Angola’s entrepreneurial ecosystem (non-exhaustive)
MEP
The Ministry of Economy and Planning (MEP) is responsible for planning national development,
formulating proposals and coordinating the implementation of policies for the development of
the national economy and coordinating actions in the eld of economic integration, economic
cooperation for development and international business. Through its agencies INAPEM and AIPEX,
MEP leads several efforts to promote private sector development and entrepreneurship in Angola.
Within the context of the NDP, the MEP is also behind important initiatives for entrepreneurship
such as the Credit Access Project (PAC) and the Programme to Support Production, Export
Diversication and Import Substitution (PRODESI).
INAPEM
The National Institute of Support to Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (INAPEM) is
the leading public agency responsible for implementing policies and strategies aimed at building
capacity and nancing SMEs. INAPEM promotes networking among entrepreneurs, clients and
other stakeholders through various kinds of events, such as workshops, exhibitions, forums. Also,
it has an important role in fostering innovation and technology exchange through its incubators, as
well as in lowering obstacles for entrepreneurs to have adequate access to nance.
AIPEX
The Agency for Private Investment and Exports Promotion (AIPEX) supports the growth of a
diversied and stable economy, through the promotion of national production, import substitution,
increase and diversication of exports. AIPEX organizes events, workshops, assist local
entrepreneurs to attend international trade fairs and forums and celebrates partnerships with other
countries to make it easier for foreign investments to come to Angola and to Angolan exports to
reach foreign markets.
MASFAMU
The Ministry of Social Work, Family and Women’s Empowerment (MASFAMU) has the mission to
design, propose and implement policies concerning the most vulnerable groups of the population.
To a great extent, MASFAMU has relied on entrepreneurship as a means to ght poverty, promote
women’s rights and gender equality.
MJDH
The Ministry of Justice and Human Rights (MJDH) has, through its network of Entrepreneur’s One-
Stop Shop (BUEs), made it possible for entrepreneurs to formalize their enterprises and in some
cases even have access to credit to start their businesses.
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Angola Entrepreneurship Policy Review
MINDCOM
The Ministry of Commerce (MINCO) and Ministry of Industry (MIND) are key institutions for carrying
out the Government’s plans for economic development at the national level. As of April 2020, the
two Ministries were merged to form the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MINDCOM), which
competencies seem to be the same as the previous ministries had, including among others the
elaboration, execution, supervision and control of the commercial policy and, in partnership with
the EU and UNCTAD, providing workshops on entrepreneurship, as part UNCTAD’s Empretec
programme. Also, it is responsible for the formulation, conduct, implementation, evaluation and
monitoring of the government’s industrial policy. It is in charge of key institutes such as the National
institute of Innovation and Industrial Technologies, the Angolan Institute of Industrial Property that
have the mandate to advance innovation policies.
MAPTSS &
INEFOP
Focused on implementing policies related to social security schemes, social action, employment,
vocational training, and working relations and conditions, the Ministry of Public Administration,
Work and Social Security (MAPTSS) has promoted entrepreneurship through its National Institute
of Employment and Professional Training (INEFOP). The latter has helped expand access to
entrepreneurship education through its Local Center of Entrepreneurship and Employment
Services (CLESEs). These are TVET centers that provide technical training on several practical
specializations, including entrepreneurship.
MESCTI
The Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESCTI) is responsible
to conceive, formulate, execute, monitor, supervise and evaluate public policies and sectoral
programs related to higher education, science, technology and innovation. In collaboration with
several academic institutions of higher education, both private and public, MESCTI has been
making efforts to promote entrepreneurship education in Angola, either through the development
of appropriate curricula and through extra-curricular activities. The ministry also has pushed for the
increase in number of business incubators
MINJUD
The Ministry of Youth and Sports (MINJUD) deals with the development of Angolan youth, by
promoting youth participation in social, cultural and economic activities, including incentivizing
them to undertake entrepreneurship. It also offers entrepreneurship training courses, nancial
support and promotion fairs, competitions and awareness-raising campaigns.
MINTTICS
The Ministry of Telecommunications, Information Technologies and Social Communication
(MINTTICS) aims to promote Angola’s socio-economic development through the use of information
and communication technologies, including the use of new information technologies to access
entrepreneurship and accelerating Angola’s business digital transformation.
MINAGRIF
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MINAGRIF) is responsible for promoting the development
of agriculture and forestry in Angola, contributing to the country’s economic and social growth, and
among others supporting the formalization of businesses in the agricultural sector, incentivizing
young and women producers to boost agribusiness potential in the country, and the introduction
of innovation and technology through the “PDAC” and “PDAC Jovem” programmes.
MIREMPET
The Ministry of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas (MIREMPET) promotes the sustainable development
of mineral, oil and gas resources in Angola, helping to diversify the economy, reduce poverty
and preserve the environment. It plays an important role in promoting local content in the sector,
through the local content legal regime, which creates opportunities for Angolan entrepreneurs who
supply goods and services to the mineral resources, oil and gas sectors.
BDA
The Development Bank of Angola (BDA) is a public nancial institution that has created several
credit lines to support entrepreneurs in line with the Government’s strategy and with initiatives from
other public institutions, particularly MEP.
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Angola Entrepreneurship Policy Review
BNA
Although its main object is to ensure price stability and the soundness of the nancial system,
the National Bank of Angola (BNA) has also taken some measures that have impacted the
entrepreneurial ecosystem. For instance, BNA enabled the legal framework for MEP’s Projecto de
Apoio ao Crédito (PAC). It has also facilitated the introduction of legislation for micro-entrepreneurs
and supported workshops, seminars and other events for entrepreneurs. In partnership with
MESCTI, it created LISPA, an incubator for ntechs.
Banking sector
As of 2019, the banking sector in Angola consisted of 26 bank nancial institutions, of which
three are public, 17 are domestic private-owned and the remaining are either foreign branches
or subsidiaries. Nine of them are participating in the PAC, a Government’s initiative to nance
entrepreneurial activity at more favorable terms.
4
There are also 109 non-bank nancial institutions,
of which 19 are micro-credit companies and two are micro-credit cooperatives.
Capital Market
Commission
The Capital Market Commission in Angola is an alternative to banks for entrepreneurs seeking for
nancing their projects and businesses. The commission is active in promoting entrepreneurship,
the role of investors and entrepreneurs, and nancial literacy.
FRACA
Fundo Activo de Capital de Risco Angolano is the public Angolan venture capital fund created by
presidential decree which focuses on supporting SMEs through long-term nancial investments. It
also has a hands-on approach to its investees and guides them in dening strategic goals, nancial
structuring and even international expansion.
Acelera Angola
Acelera Angola acts on various fronts of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Angola, such as
incubation, organization of events, promotion of networks and workspaces. It has played an
important role in discussing with the Government how to improve conditions for entrepreneurship.
Incuba Angola
Incuba Angola is an incubator focused on tech start-ups as well as SMEs working in more
traditional sectors. It also offers consulting services and short-term courses on entrepreneurship
and business management for non-incubated businesses.
Bantu Makers
Bantu Makers is an incubator focused on start-ups that create technological solutions for the
Angolan market. Besides the direct support it gives to its investees, Bantu Makers has a strong
commitment in improving the entrepreneurial ecosystem through events such as mentorship
sessions and workshops.
Orange Corners
The incubator-style initiative led by the Netherlands, provides entrepreneurs at universities with
training, mentorship, network, funding and facilities to start and grow their businesses.
SoftVenter
SoftCenter is another incubator for startups. Created by the telecom NetOne, it offers a coworking
space and launched the SoftCenter Pitch, a pitch competition for tech start-ups developing apps
and software systems.
KiandaHub
KiandaHub offers coworking space, consultancy services for start-ups and promotes events for
the Angolan start-up and tech community.
Founder Institute
FILuanda is an incubator and accelerator, part of the Global Network of the Founder Institute, an
American business incubator. It provides entrepreneurial training and a start-up programme for
technological and innovative entrepreneurship.
Fábrica de Sabao
The educational and innovation centre promotes education, creativity and entrepreneurship. It
includes an incubator and accelerator providing workspace and maker space and a platform to
exchange.
Disruption Lab
This is a coworking space and startup incubator located in Luanda to create a space to promote
innovation and entrepreneurship.
4
Banco Angolano de Investimentos, Banco Fomento Agora, Banco Internacional de Crédito, Standard Bank, Banco Millenium Atlântico, Banco Negócios
Internacional, Banco Comercial do Huambo, Banco de Comércio e Indústria, Banco de Poupança e Crédito.
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Angola Entrepreneurship Policy Review
Angola Business
Confederation
Created with the objective to strengthen the dialogue between the Government and the private
sector, the confederation is an umbrella organization representing more than 50 business and
cooperative associations in Angola. Some of its members include the Association of Women
Entrepreneurs of Angola and the National Youth Business Council.
Angolan
Association
of Start-ups
and Digital
Entrepreneurship
This is a non-prot organization that promotes the development of startups and digital
entrepreneurship in Angola.
Angola Chamber
of Commerce and
Industry
Representing over 3,000 businesses in various sectors of the economy, the Chamber of Commerce
and Industry has been an active stakeholder in promoting economic activity in the country since its
foundation. Besides events and establishing partnerships around the world with similar institutions
that could benet its members, it offers training on businesses management and other hard skills
needed for the entrepreneurial activity.
International
Community
The International community has also been involved in promoting entrepreneurship, oftentimes
in partnership with the Government of Angola. The European Union, The Netherlands, France,
through its Agence Française de Développement, the Republic of Korea, the United States, the
World Bank, UN agencies, funds and programmes, the International Financial Corporation, the
African Development Bank, among others, have invested in entrepreneurship in Angola either
through direct programmes and projects or funding.
It is important to note that in addition to policies that are developed by the Ministry of Economy and
Planning, those designed by the Ministries of Industry and Commerce, Justice and Human Rights, Public
Administration, Labour and Social Security, Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, and
the one of Telecommunications, Information Technology and Social Communications indirectly impact the
entrepreneurial ecosystem. Coherence with the Angola 2050 strategy, the NDP and other national policies
is therefore crucial.
1.3. Status of entrepreneurship in Angola
The entrepreneurial landscape of Angola is large and has been documented in the Mapping and assessment
of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Angola report in Annex III.
There are many different types of entrepreneurs, each with different needs. It is important that these are
addressed in a national entrepreneurship strategy to ensure that the latter’s implementation is successful.
Also of relevance is the understanding that the needs of entrepreneurs and MSMEs and start-ups located
in urban areas differ from those in rural areas.
Angola’s apparent economic recovery in the recent years does not seem to have generated yet enough
employment opportunities. In 2022, 30.2 per cent of the economically active population, aged 15 or above,
were unemployed, with urban and young populations carrying the largest shares of this burden.
5
The disparities among urban and rural areas are even greater when we take into account gender. While
14.1 per cent of economically active women in rural areas are unemployed, this gure reaches 41.6 per
cent in urban areas. Economically active men have also lower unemployment rates in rural areas compared
to their counterparts in urban areas, however, the difference narrows to 21.8 percentage points.
5
According to INE’s methodology, individuals considered economically active are those aged 15 or above that are employed or available for employment and
have actively looked for work.
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Angola Entrepreneurship Policy Review
A large number of the work force is employed by the informal economy, and it has been suggested that
informality in recent years can be as large as one third of Angola’s total GDP.
6
In 2022, 79.9 per cent of the
economically active population were employed in the informal economy
7
.
II. National Entrepreneurship Strategy
The national entrepreneurship strategy will:
• Serve as a strategic framework for fostering and promoting entrepreneurship in Angola
• Become a comprehensive national agenda that reinforces and supports the entrepreneurial spirit, especially
among youth
• Materialize an integrated framework that provides structured coordination for all key actors of the
entrepreneurial ecosystem, promoting a “whole of a government” approach and coordination with the
private sector, which may be complemented by dening a governance mechanism.
The strategy stems from and must always keep congruence with the National Development Plan that
the Government intends to implement over the next years. It develops strategic objectives in the area of
entrepreneurship promotion and designs concrete policy measures to be implemented.
Therein, it is crucial that entrepreneurs are segmented by the different typologies, sizes and stages of their
businesses so that tailored support can be designed to respond to their real needs, avoiding underdeveloped
homogeneous approaches.
Coordination and coherence are essential to achieve a positive impact, benet from synergies of these policies,
and maximize the economic and social growth they can provide. This requires a “whole of government”
approach with strong commitment at top ministerial level and coordination across ministries, in partnership with
the private sector and other civil society stakeholders, including academia, non-governmental organizations,
and community organizations. In an effective entrepreneurial ecosystem, multiple stakeholders contribute to
facilitating entrepreneurship. It is a system of mutually benecial and self-sustaining relationships involving
institutions, people and processes that work together with the goal of creating an entrepreneurial ecosystem.
It includes policymakers, business, investors, educational institutions, social networks and other civil society
actors.
The Entrepreneurship Policy Framework (EPF) of UNCTAD has been used as a basis for (1) the Mapping
and assessment of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Angola dated 2020, (2) consultations held with
major stakeholders involved in entrepreneurship development in 2020 and 2023 and (3) the Report on
the multistakeholder dialogue of the elaboration of the national entrepreneurship policy of 2023, with the
objective to identify focus areas to advance the entrepreneurship agenda in Angola and allow the country
to improve its business environment and be competitive on the world market, see Annex II.
As a result of the work done, focus areas have been identied and embedded in the national entrepreneurship
strategy that is a guiding document to help the country cultivate a resilient entrepreneurial ecosystem,
signicantly contributing to a diversied and competitive economy.
6
Ibid.
7
Inquérito ao Emprego em Angola. Indicadores sobre Emprego e Desemprego. Relatório anual 2022, INE (2023) https://www.ine.gov.ao/Arquivos/
arquivosCarregados//Carregados/Publicacao_638253195047780891.pdf.
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Angola Entrepreneurship Policy Review
The strategy contains an action plan with suggested activities that calls on all stakeholders, public and
private, to collaborate in helping Angola achieve this vision. It is preceded by a proposed vision, mission
and strategic objectives linked to the Angola 2050 strategy, the NDP 2023-2027 and the reports in annexes
III and IV.
Vision
To cultivate a resilient entrepreneurial ecosystem, signicantly contributing to a diversied and prosperous
economy.
Mission
To stimulate the creation and growth of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and start-ups through a
conducive policy framework by promoting a culture of entrepreneurship and business opportunities.
Guiding principles of the strategy implementation
It is suggested that the implementation of the NES can be guided by the following principles:
Policy coherence at national and regional level
Setting up long-term vision on the promotion of entrepreneurship
Addressing the needs of the different types of entrepreneurs as there is no “one size ts all”. Measures and
packages are to be tailored to the specic needs of necessity- driven and opportunity driven entrepreneurs,
formal and informal entrepreneurs, MSMEs and tech start-ups, early stage or post startup, and vulnerable
groups such as women, youth and the disabled
Establishing a systematic approach to regulatory reform to reduce bureaucracy and improve the business
environment surrounding the national entrepreneurship ecosystem
Promoting access to nance
Simplifying regulations, rules and procedures that are easily accessible to entrepreneurs, preferably on
a centralized online platform and at business development centers - especially in areas with low internet
penetration and high illiteracy
Creating online business facilitation tools
Promoting Public-Private Partnership initiatives
Creating curricula on entrepreneurship to build human capital
Promoting intra and inter regional trade to take advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement
Promoting socially inclusive and environmentally sustainable growth
Facilitating the creation of platforms at regional levels, to promote private investment in addition to high-quality
public support services, as engines of entrepreneurship development.
Strategic objectives
Strategic objectives have been identied through a consultative mechanism (see annexes III and IV). They
address critical barriers for entrepreneurship promotion and MSMEs and start-ups development in Angola.
They can be implemented by MEP and INAPEM in collaboration with other Ministries and stakeholders as
mentioned in table 1.
Priority interventions focus on a set of specic objectives, which MEP and INAPEM could pursue to
contribute to the long-term development strategy Angola 2050 and NDP 2023-2027.
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Angola Entrepreneurship Policy Review
Improved business environment for a diversied and prosperous economy
Increased
number of new
MSMEs & start-
ups and the
number that
scale
Increased
entrepreneurial
capabilities
& managerial
skills in informal
businesses
Increased level
of innovation
and use of
technologies
Increased
number of
enterprises
participating in
value chains
Increased
number of
women and
youth in
entrepreneurship
Increased number of new MSMEs and start-ups and the number that scale – Angola’s landscape
has experienced a signicant increase in entrepreneurship activity in recent years, but mostly concentrated
in early-stage stage ventures. The NES can support early activity by facilitation the creation of businesses.
It can also help in increasing the number of MSMEs and start-ups that move beyond the startup phase and
scale, for instance by facilitating access to nance, markets and networks. The latter are important for socio-
economic development as they contribute to scal revenues, innovation, democratization of technologies
and job creation, including for vulnerable groups. The total number of formal MSMEs and start-ups reect
the entrepreneurial mindset in the country and the level of ease of doing business.
Increased entrepreneurial capabilities and managerial skills in informal businesses - The informal
sector in Angola covers about 33 per cent of all businesses in the country.
8
It is characterized by small
scale and low productivity and value addition micro-enterprises. The informal economy is often the only
opportunity for unskilled members of vulnerable collectives to earn a living. As their ventures are not formally
registered, informal entrepreneurs nd it difcult to grow as they tend to have low entrepreneurial skills,
restricted access to nance, markets and public service.
Increased level of innovation and use of technologies - Entrepreneurship, technology and innovation
are mutually supportive. Technology provides entrepreneurs with new tools to improve the productivity and
competitiveness of their business, with new platforms on which to build their ventures, market their products/
services, or the development of new business models. In turn, entrepreneurs can foster innovation by
adapting existing solutions to local markets or even creating new products and services. Raising awareness
about the opportunities to apply new technologies and digital tools can open new windows of opportunity
for all kinds of entrepreneurs. Strengthening ties between the private sector, higher education institutions
and research centers is key to support the growth of the national systems of innovation.
9
Increased number of enterprises participating in value chains - In line with Angola’s vision to have
a diversied and prosperous economy, there is a need to build productive capacities in several sectors
identied by the Government that can help stimulate the creation of domestic businesses and their
participation in value chains, which can in turn lead to an increase in the value added of exports and to
a more balanced insertion of the Angolan economy in international trade and global value chains. In the
area of human capital development, entrepreneurial skills building is a key component, as it will enhance
access to nance and upgrade absorption of technology by domestic companies. In addition, the strategic
use of special economic zones (SEZs) can provide an opportune platform to link international trade and
8
Relatório dos resultados do recenseamento de empresas e estabelecimentos REMPE-2019, https://www.ine.gov.ao/publicacoes/detalhes/MTEyNzk%3D
9
For examples of links between research, educations institutions and entrepreneurs see “Urban expansion, an entrepreneur’s playground” (UNCTAD, 2022),
available at https://unctad.org/publication/urban-expansion-entrepreneurs-playground
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Angola Entrepreneurship Policy Review
entrepreneurship development.
10
Industrial parks and industry geographical concentration (cluster) can
contribute to create opportunities for improving skills and technological upgrade of local business.
Increased number of women and youth entrepreneurship - Angola has a disproportionate percentage
of women unemployed compared to men, in particular in urban areas, with many of them working in the
informal sector. The economic and social impact associated with this is high with a loss of income that,
in general terms, can reach up to almost one third of a country’s GDP. The job opportunities are also
insufcient for an increasing young population entering the workforce annually. Entrepreneurship, when
supported properly, can offer a promising choice to this segment of the population. Both of these vulnerable
groups have their own challenges in relation to access to education, funding, markets, and networks, which
need be addressed for entrepreneurship to become a vector of inclusion and opportunities.
The long-term strategy Angola 2050 and the NDP 2023-2027 have identied strategic sectors that are
shown in table 2. The NES can be the departing point to develop sectoral master plans to promote
entrepreneurship in each of them in line with national priorities.
Table 2 – Strategic sectors identified in the long-term strategy Angola 2050
Agriculture
Increase the area cultivated and productivity (3.1 million families depend on this activity),
including by promoting research and development and digitalization. Angola currently uses
just over 10 per cent of the total land with agricultural potential.
Fisheries
Promote growth towards a “Blue Economy”; attract investment to develop continental
and marine aquaculture and sh processing; almost 99 per cent of Angolan surface water
available for continental aquaculture is currently unused.
Geological resources
and mining
Start production of ornamental rocks, gold, iron, copper, rare minerals, alkaline-carbonatites,
and phosphates. Develop domestic value chains and retention of value, including precious
metal rening, ornamental rocks processing, local content jewelry, diamond cutting capacity,
and the steel industry.
Industry
Concentrate in three areas which present competitive advantages: rstly, natural-
resources-based industries – like petrochemical, ferrous metallurgy and cement; secondly,
agroindustry; and thirdly, labour-intensive light industry that can employ young population,
-like clothing and textiles.
Trade integration
Support the growth and efciency of productive sectors by optimizing national value
chains; creating aggregators in the agricultural sector and expanding logistics platforms;
dynamizing SEZs; advancing integration with neighbours, taking an active role in regional
trade agreements, namely SADC and the AfCFTA; boosting e-commerce; formalizing the
sector to support sustainable growth, creating concessions for markets, promoting digital
platforms and mobile money.
Tourism
Develop domestic tourism and infrastructure in proximity areas to main urban and economic
centers in the country, to then expand to neighbor-country markets and international large-
scale tourism in the mid and long-term. Focus on sectors with greatest growth potential:
sustainable nature tourism (and associated sun and sea tourism) and adventure tourism.
Oil and gas
Aligning the oil sector with the objectives of the global energy transition, promoting
decarbonization of technologies and extraction methods, incentivizing investment in green
energy portfolios, supporting development of gas and downstream sector, like rening and
petrochemical
10
See “Promoting MSME development and Entrepreneurship in and around Special Economic Zones in Africa” UNCTAD (2023), available at https://unctad.org/
publication/promoting-msme-development-and-entrepreneurship-and-around-special-economic-zones
11
Angola Entrepreneurship Policy Review
III. Action plan
Implementation, monitoring and evaluation
The formulation of the present document for the NES has been developed at the request of the Government
of Angola, under the UNCTAD entrepreneurship policy framework that recognizes the need for a strong
entrepreneurship ecosystem.
The strategy is comprehensive and provides a long-term vision, allowing MSMEs and start-ups to project
themselves into the future. It is in line with the long-term development strategy Angola 2050 and NDP
2023-2027, thereby building upon efforts made by the Government of Angola to improve the business
environment for a diversied and prosperous economy.
As mentioned earlier, coordination and coherence among the Ministries, Departments and other stakeholders
involved in the entrepreneurial ecosystem will be required to implement the proposed initiatives.
A national council with the involvement of the private sector can be set up to undertake responsibility for
the coordination of the NES and its action plan.
Also, the development of a monitoring plan with clear performance indicators can be helpful to measure
advancement and monitor impact. An annual analysis of the state of entrepreneurship in Angola can be
carried out by a national council with mid-term reviews can be planned based on independent monitoring
and evaluation routines. This information will provide feedback on policy netuning and, when needed,
corrective actions. An example of a monitoring plan with indicators to measure the effectiveness of
entrepreneurship policies is provided in Annex I.
Furthermore, local and national strategy days on the NES can take place with the participation of stakeholders
of Angola’s entrepreneurial ecosystem with the aim to encourage the coordination of meaningful partnerships
between all those involved in the entrepreneurship ecosystem development.
The framework of the action plan in table 3 introduces the fundamental axes and pillars to provide a more
integrated and coordinated approach to the development of entrepreneurship in Angola.
12
Angola Entrepreneurship Policy Review
Table 3 - Action plan
Priority areas
Perceived gaps as identied
by the consultation process
Identied actions
Stakeholders and
supporting institutions
Policy domains
Increased number
of new MSMEs
and start-ups and
the number that
scale
• Incoherency in regulations and rules between urban
and rural areas
• Insufcient coverage of needs of different types of
entrepreneurs in regulatory system
• Existence of regulatory hurdles for the creation of
businesses
• Difcult access to regulations, no online platform
• Lack of trust in regulatory system
• Absence of direct or indirect State administrative body
that monitors regulatory initiatives related to start-ups
• Limited opportunities for trainers and entrepreneurs
for continuous learning
• Lack of advisory services entrepreneurs can tap into
on how to full regulatory requirements
• Lack of and long procedures on enforcement of legis-
lation, breach of contracts, IPR
• Heavy tax burden on MSMEs
• Lack of entrepreneurship culture as to bankruptcy
• Low quality level of entrepreneurship curricula
• Lack of new approaches to entrepreneurship educa-
tion
• Limited and not institutionalized consultation process
public-private sector on regulatory environment
• Lack of exposure of students to practical examples of
local companies and (successful) business cases and
methodologies on “training the skills”
• Heavy bureaucracy preventing access to nancial
services from banking sector
• Weak investment climate, narrow nancial markets are
the cause of non-nancing of projects, lack of tailoring
of nancial solutions to sectoral needs and absence of
a border base of nancial operators
• Low percentage of bank account holders (in 2020
less than a third % of the population has a bank
account and around 18% of SMEs have access to
nance through them)
• Low nancial literacy and digital skills
• Lack of entrepreneurial mindset and understanding in
Angola’s nancial sector with VCs shying away from
local rms
Examination of regulatory requirements for creation of
businesses
• Assess administrative process of starting a business
Removal of regulatory hurdles for creating a business
(NDP 41.4.1)
• Standardize and streamline regulatory requirements
and bureaucratic procedures, including decentral-
ization to the regions (NDP 41.4.1.10, 41.4.1.11,
40.1.1.10, 17.2.1.6)
• Introduce systematic procedures to review and
streamline business creation requirements in terms
of number of licenses, procedures and administrative
fees (NDP 41.4.1, 41.4.1.8, 40.1.1.8)
• Set up consultation body between public-private
sector to monitor reforms, allowing for permanent
dialogue (NDP 41.4.1.7, 41.4.1.8)
• Introduce fast-track mechanisms by eliminating hur-
dles, reduce delays (NDP 41.4.1.1)
• Introduce scal incentives for MSMEs to help them in
rst years of existence (NDP 40.1.1.6)
• Reinforce one-stop-shops, both physical and virtual
with services sector and size of enterprise specic,
including, for online registration procedures (for ex-
ample UNCTAD’s online Business registration) (NDP
41.4.1.3, 41.4.1.4, 40.1.1.10)
Increase entrepreneurs’ condence in regulatory
environment
• Strengthen regulatory enforcement and compliance
(NDP 41.4.1)
• Ensure easy access to updated regulatory informa-
tion, and submission deadlines, off-line and through
online platforms (NDP 41.4.1, 17.2.1.2, 17.2.1.6)
• Put in place tutorials for entrepreneurs on how to
comply with regulations (NDP 41.4.1)
• Speed up procedures and processes related to con-
tract breaches from business relations between busi-
nesses and the State (NDP 41.4.1)
• Enhance enforcement procedures related to small
contractual breaches (NDP 41.4.1)
INAPEM, MEP, MJDH,
IPR Ofce, Chamber
of Commerce, Angola
Business Confederation,
Acelera Angola, with
inputs from Ministries in-
volved in sectors in which
MSMEs and start-ups
operate, one-stop-shops,
Finance sector
Optimizing regula-
tory framework
13
Angola Entrepreneurship Policy Review
Priority areas
Perceived gaps as identied
by the consultation process
Identied actions
Stakeholders and
supporting institutions
Policy domains
• Insufcient preparation and training of entrepreneurs
and funders in nancial management of businesses
• Weak introduction in educational system of entrepre-
neurship-related subjects and courses and nancial
literacy
• Low awareness on importance of entrepreneurship’s
role in national economic development
• Insufcient entrepreneurship networks
• Absence of activities to incentivize and foster entre-
preneurship
• Insufcient institutional support
• Low level of awareness raising events on new busi-
ness opportunities in line with targeted sector devel-
opment
• Weak promotion of Angolan businesses in national
and international markets
• Weak engagement of public institutions to create and
support business networks
• Make dispute resolution mechanisms more accessi-
ble to MSMEs (NDP 41.4.1)
• Debureaucratize processes related to insolvency and
set up mechanisms to simplify and speed up litiga-
tion process, strengthen protection of investors (NDP
41.2.3.14)
• Promote entrepreneurial mindset, including reduction
of bankruptcy stigma and facilitate re-starts (NDP
17.2.1, 41.4.1)
• Lack of entrepreneurial mindset and understanding in
Angola’s nancial sector with VCs shying away from
local rms
• Insufcient preparation and training of entrepreneurs
and funders in nancial management of businesses
• Weak introduction in educational system of entrepre-
neurship-related subjects and courses and nancial
literacy
• Low awareness on importance of entrepreneurship’s
role in national economic development
• Insufcient entrepreneurship networks
• Absence of activities to incentivize and foster entre-
preneurship
• Insufcient institutional support
• Low level of awareness raising events on new busi-
ness opportunities in line with targeted sector devel-
opment
• Weak promotion of Angolan businesses in national
and international markets
• Weak engagement of public institutions to create and
support business networks
Increase effective entrepreneurship in formal and
informal education systems
• Take stock of curricula on entrepreneurship (at na-
tional & regional level in national education curricula
and through engagement of for instance business,
NGOs, foundational and government agencies) and
their impact (NDP 13.2.3.2, 12.4.1.7)
• Design a national framework for entrepreneurship
education and training (NDP 12.4.1.7)
• Introduce the development of an entrepreneurial
mindset at all levels of education (NDP 12.4.1.7)
• Design adaptive and exible curricula with an in-
clusive strategy for diverse needs of different types
of entrepreneurs, considering cultural diversity
and characteristics of each region (NDP 41.1.2.3,
12.4.1.7)
• Create bridges between entrepreneurship education
and skills training, for instance Empretec training,
internships, apprenticeships, study tours (NDP
12.4.1.7, 41.1.2.1)
• Design incentives for companies, incubators and
accelerator to participate and contribute to the im-
provement and updating of curricula, internship pro-
grammes, activities and competitions (NDP 12.4.1.7,
41.1.3.4)
INAPEM, MINDCOM,
INE, MESCTI, AIPEX,
INEFOP, universities,
incubators, accelerators,
Empretec centre, includ-
ing the involvement of
Ministries whose sectors
are covered
Education and
skills development
14
Angola Entrepreneurship Policy Review
Priority areas
Perceived gaps as identied
by the consultation process
Identied actions
Stakeholders and
supporting institutions
Policy domains
• Enable continuous learning for trainers with updated
real cases and creation of entrepreneurship educa-
tors’ networks at universities (NDP 12.4.1)
• Encourage mentoring and advisory networks and
services, for instance, Empretec The Square for
Global Goals (NDP 16.1.1.2)
Improve access to nance on appropriate terms
• Assess the nancial services available in the country
and how they meet the needs of the different seg-
ments of entrepreneurs (NDP 41.2)
• Create regulations that oversee asymmetries in the
nancial market (NDP 41.2)
• Simplify bureaucratic procedures and documentation
requirements for access to nance (NDP 41.1.2.2,
41.2.1)
• Promote traditional and new nancial services, angel
investors, micro-credit institutions, Fintech as well as
supply chain nance and public credit guarantees to
nance enterprises at different level of maturity (NDP
17.2.1.3, 17.2.1.5, 41.2.1, 41.2.2, 41.2.3, 26.7.1.2)
Enhance capacity of the nancial sector to serve start-
ups
• Promote specialization of nancial institutions to sup-
port businesses until maturity (NDP 41.2.1, 41.2.3)
• For rural areas, proximity lending can be reinforced
who can also assist in capacity-building (training,
auditoring) (NDP 41.2, 41.2.2.2)
Provide nancial literacy training to entrepreneurs
• Increase training in nancial literacy and accounting
(NDP 41.2.2.2, 41.2.2.4, 17.2.1.7)
• Promote dissemination of modules on nancial litera-
cy and entrepreneurship throughout levels of educa-
tion (NDP 41.1.2.1)
• Encourage emergence of incubators to monitor and
support nancial management of early-stage busi-
nesses (NDP 41.1.3.1, 41.1.3.2, 16.1.1.2)
INAPEM, Development
Bank of Angola, National
Bank of Angola, AIPEX,
Finance sector
Finance access
15
Angola Entrepreneurship Policy Review
Priority areas
Perceived gaps as identied
by the consultation process
Identied actions
Stakeholders and
supporting institutions
Policy domains
Promote value of entrepreneurship to society
• Encourage business exchange platforms (including
between entrepreneurs in the same business sector
or geographical area or connecting rural and urban
entrepreneurs for linkages), business portals, fairs,
business associations and clubs (NDP 17.2.1. 6,
17.2.1.4)
• Organize regular national entrepreneurship compe-
tition in each education subsystem and at local and
provincial level
• Publicly celebrate entrepreneurship role models
• Create a national fund to foster entrepreneurial cul-
ture by subsidizing literature on successful business
cases
• Offer support schemes to businesses (lower tax in
early-stage, free ofce space to name a few) (NDP
40.1.1.6)
Promote entrepreneurial opportunities
• Create a national entity for the promotion of entrepre-
neurship for support programmes for the education
of entrepreneurs, advance awareness raising and
promotion of networking in ecosystems and manage-
ment of a fund to support national and international
promotion of successful businesses and entrepre-
neurs (NDP 41.1.1.3, 41.1.1)
• Further facilitate private sector-led campaigns, busi-
ness exchange access to information about business
opportunities, with emphasis to sectors bringing eco-
nomic diversication, franchising fairs, trade fairs, lo-
cal entrepreneurs through incentive schemes, career
and information fairs, and create and institutionalize
a national event on entrepreneurship, preferably net-
working with international projection (NDP 17.2.1.8,
26.7.1.1)
MEP, INAPEM, MIND-
COM, AIPEX, Chamber
of Commerce and Indus-
try, incubators, accelera-
tors, Empretec centre
Networking and
market access
• Lack of incentives and means to transfer to formal
sector, among others due to heavy tax burden in for-
mal sector
• High level of informality hinders access to formal -
nancing channels
• Set up a periodic review of the informal sector in
Angola (NDP 40.1.1.17, 40.1.3.1, 40.1.3.2)
• Design regulations and set up support schemes
that address the needs of informal entrepreneurs to
transfer to the formal sector (NDP 40.1.1.1, 40.1.1.8,
40.1.1.6, 40.1.1.12)
INAPEM, INE, University
MEP and INAPEM
through consultative pro-
cess with entrepreneurial
ecosystem
Optimizing regula-
tory framework
16
Angola Entrepreneurship Policy Review
Priority areas
Perceived gaps as identied
by the consultation process
Identied actions
Stakeholders and
supporting institutions
Policy domains
• Develop entrepreneurship skills through training, for
instance through Empretec centre (NDP 40.1.1.11,
17.2.1.4, 40.1.3.5)
• Develop training or knowledge sharing on product
quality (NDP 41.1.1.1)
• Enhance nancial literacy through training (NDP
40.1.1.15, 40.1.1.16)
• Launch awareness raising campaigns on the benets
of upgrading businesses
• Offer targeted guidance to informal entrepreneurs on
administrative processes and support schemes to
transfer to formalization (NDP 40.1.14, 17.2.1.6 )
INAPEM, INEFOP, BUE,
Chamber of Commerce
and Industry, CLESE,
Empretec centre
Education and
skills develop-
ment, awareness
raising & market
access
Increased level of
innovation and use
of technologies
• Decient connection of equipment in remote areas
• Low level of technology and innovation promotion in
entrepreneurship
• Low collaboration level between research, universities
and enterprises
• Low level of participation of research institutions in the
innovation phase
• Lack of business networks to help disseminate tech-
nologies and innovation
• Non-existence of support programme for high tech
start-ups
• Low presence of high -tech business incubators
• Lack of promotion of nancial instruments to promote
innovation
• Insufcient communication between banking sector
and target audience on existing nancial instruments
on nancing innovation
• Absence of venture capital to fund high-tech compa-
nies
Support greater diffusion of digitalization
• Deploy equipment to extend internet connection in
remote areas (NDP 27.1.2)
• Create awareness on the benets of digitalization for
entrepreneurs and society (NDP 27.1.2.4)
• Create support schemes for online platforms (NDP
27.1.2.4)
Promote inter-rms networks
• Create regulations and incentives that facilitate mas-
sive dissemination of digitalization throughout private
sector (NDP 27.1.2.4)
• Increase technological capacity of local rms through
linkages
Build bridges between public-, private sector, research
institutions and universities
• Create a supporting platform/solution to facilitate
relations between players (NDP 16.1)
• Raise awareness among actors of the possible chan-
nels to share knowledge and technology (NDP 16.1)
• Create a dialogue table between Government, univer-
sities, research institutions and private sector to stim-
ulate so-called triangle of knowledge (NDP 16.1.1)
Support tech start-ups
• Develop policy measures to stimulate the emergence
of more incubators for high-tech businesses (NDP
17.2.1.1)
• Further strengthen technology hubs, incubators,
accelerators, sand banks with support schemes for
tech start-ups (NDP 27.1.2.4)
• Facilitate tech start-ups that commercialize innova-
tion (NDP 16.1.1.2)
INAPEM, MESCTI, Na-
tional Bank of Angola, Fi-
nance sector, incubators,
accelerators, universities,
research institutions
New technologies
and innovation
17
Angola Entrepreneurship Policy Review
Priority areas
Perceived gaps as identied
by the consultation process
Identied actions
Stakeholders and
supporting institutions
Policy domains
• Bring scientic research as a fundamental element in
innovation process (NDP 16.1.1)
• Provide nancial and business mentoring in support
of innovation (NDP 16.1.1.2)
• Increase capacity building on the adoption of tech-
nologies by small rms to help them scale (NDP
17.2.1.1)
• Increase skills in technologies product and service
development through training and capacity-building
for tech start-ups, for instance Empretec centre (NDP
16.1.1.2)
• Build capacities on modernizing business operations
(NDP 41.1.2.4)
• Stimulate networking among tech start-ups, learnings
from peers and advisory services, such as Empretec
The Square for Global Goals (NDP 17.2.1.4, 16.1.1.2)
INAPEM, MESCTI,
universities, training
programmes, Empretec
centre
Education and
skills develop-
ment, networking
• Develop regulations to promote the emergence of
non-banking nancial investors for nancing innova-
tion (NDP 41.2.3.5)
• Create public funds earmarked to mitigate inacces-
sibility to funding for innovation and promote stand-
alone funds for innovation (NDP 41.2.2.1, 41.2.2.3)
• Promote the creation of a fund for research and de-
velopment of technology and innovation in Angola
(NDP 41.2.2.3)
• Incentivize relationship between incubators and nan-
cial institutions to create synergies for funding high-
tech sector (NDP 41.2)
• Help develop risk funds and guarantee funds to stim-
ulate and protect investment and nance in high-tech
businesses (NDP 41.2.3.5, 41.2.3.5, 41.2.2.2)
• Design scal incentives for high-tech businesses
(NDP 41.3.2)
INAPEM, MESCTI, Na-
tional Bank of Angola,
Finance sectors, incuba-
tors, accelerators
Finance access
Increased number
of MSMEs partic-
ipating in value
chains
• Low added value in products for exportation
• Insufcient participation in value chains
• Insufcient business linkages
• Difculties in accessing nance to participate in value
chains
• Education curricula poorly adapted to reality of entre-
preneurship, entrepreneurial trends and development
of entrepreneurial skills and mindset
• Facilitate and promote industry clusters (NDP 33.3.1,
36.1.2, 36.1.3, 37.3.1, 37.7.1)
• Enable the connection of local rms to international
markets, for instance through fairs, franchising and
licensing (NDP 36.3.1, 36.5.1, 36.5.2, 36.6.1, 38.3.2)
• Facilitate the promotion of local rms located in and
around special economic zones (NDP 41.3.1, 41.3.1)
• Facilitate career and trade fairs (NDP 38.3.2.3)
INAPEM, with inputs from
Ministries, Chamber of
Commerce and industry,
AIPEX, incubators, accel-
erators, Empretec centre
Networking
18
Angola Entrepreneurship Policy Review
Priority areas
Perceived gaps as identied
by the consultation process
Identied actions
Stakeholders and
supporting institutions
Policy domains
• Promote sectors and businesses with high export
potential, including through training (NDP 17.2.1.1,
42.1.2)
• Facilitate and promote business linkages between
large (international) rms and small rms for knowl-
edge transfer, industry standards
• Promote value chain workshops
INAPEM, AIPEX, INEFOP,
MESCTI, Capital Market
Commission, accelera-
tors, Empretec centre,
large rms
Education and
skills development
• Promote and facilitate supply chain nance (NDP
41.2.4)
• Promote investments in strategically important export
and supply chain sectors (NDP 41.3.2, 36.1.4)
INAPEM, MESCTI, Na-
tional Bank of Angola,
Banking sectors, VCs,
Fintechs, incubators,
accelerators
Finance access
Increased women
and youth entre-
preneurship
• Disproportionate percentage of women unemployed,
especially in urban areas
• High percentage of the women workforce in the infor-
mal sector
• High level of unemployment of the youth population
and high demand for (informal) youth entrepreneurship
• Difculty to access funding
• Assess the challenges and needs of women and
youth to create a business (NDP 15.4.1.1, 24.2.1)
• Revise regulations to address the specic needs of
women and youth entrepreneurship (NDP 41.4.1)
• Provide targeted guidance on how to create a busi-
ness in line with the regulatory environment and
existing support schemes (NDP 24.2.1.2, 24.2.1.4,
41.4.1.3, 15.4.1.1)
MEP, INAPEM, MASFA-
MU, MINJUD, INE, uni-
versities
Optimizing regula-
tory framework
• Develop workshops for entrepreneurial capacity
building tailored to their needs, including on digital
tools, for instance Empretec centre (NDP 24.2.1.4,
17.2.1.7)
• Promote mentoring and advisory programmes,
internships and apprenticeships (NDP 17.2.1.4,
17.2.1.2)
• Promote women and youth entrepreneurs role mod-
els and case studies (NDP 15.4.1.1, 24.2.1)
INAPEM, INE, MASFA-
MU, MINJUD, AIPEX,
INEFOP, MESCTI, Capital
Market Commission,
incubators, accelerators,
Empretec centre, large
rms
Education and
skills development
• Promote the use of digital tools for women and youth
entrepreneurship (NDP 24.2.1.4, 27.1.2.4, 15.4.1.1)
• Promote youth entrepreneurship and the link with
research institutions and universities (NDP 24.2.1.3,
12.4.1.7, 15.4.1.1)
INAPEM, MASFAMU,
MINJUD, MESCTI,
National Bank of An-
gola, Banking sector,
incubators, accelerators,
universities, research
institutions
New technologies
and innovation
• Promote funding opportunities for women and
youth entrepreneurship in line with their needs (NDP
24.2.1.1, 24.2.1.2, 24.2.1.5, 24.2.1.7, 17.2.1.5,
15.4.1.1)
INAPEM, MASFAMU,
MINJUD, MESCTI, Na-
tional Bank of Angola,
Finance sector, incuba-
tors, accelerators
Funding access
19
Angola Entrepreneurship Policy Review
POLICY AREA POSSIBLE INDICATORS WHAT THEY MONITOR
1. Formulating National
Entrepreneurship
Strategy
• Number of formal business start-ups created
annually
• Survival rates
• Share of total start-ups in target areas such as
high-tech enterprises, green enterprises, social
enterprises or enterprises in key exporting sectors
• Share of total start-ups in target groups such as
women, youth, minorities, rural populations
• Job growth due to start-ups
• Revenue generated and taxes paid by start-ups
(values and growth rates)
• Success of entrepreneurs in starting
and sustaining businesses
• Success in reaching specic targets
for different sectors
• Improved economic opportunities for
target groups of the population
• Economic impact of entrepreneurship
2. Optimizing the
Regulatory
Environment
• Number of procedures to open a business, num-
ber of agencies involved
• Number of days, cost to start or close a business
• Number of days, cost to register a title to property
• Timeliness of dispute resolution mechanism:
number of days from ling to judicial decision
• Ease of starting/closing a business
• Effectiveness of the judicial system
3. Enhancing
Entrepreneurship
Education and Skills
Development
• Share of secondary schools offering entrepre-
neurship programmes / extra-curricular activities
• Share of technical/vocational schools offering
entrepreneurship programmes / extra-curricular
activities
• Number of annual spin-offs from universities/re-
search programmes
• Availability of entrepreneurship edu-
cation
• Success of higher education institu-
tions in enterprise-relevant research
and in commercializing results of
research
4. Facilitating Technology
Exchange and Innovation
• Share of graduates with science / engineering
degrees
• Number (and occupancy rates) of science parks,
technology hubs and incubators
• Share of technology-intensive start-ups in total
start ups
• Share of technology-intensive start-ups with ven-
ture capital funding
• Success in promoting science/ engi-
neering careers
• Availability and success of facilities for
the promotion of technology intensive
start-ups
• Success in promoting technology
intensive start-ups
5. Improving Access
to Finance
• Share of micronance/SME loans in total busi-
ness loans
• Average value of collateral required for SME loans
(per cent of loan)
• Total VC invested in SMEs
• Credit bureau coverage (per cent of adult popu-
lation
• Performance of banking sector in
facilitating loans to entrepreneurs
• Support by private investors for start-
ups
• Adequacy of nancial infrastructure
for entrepreneurship lending
6. Promoting Awareness
and Networking
• Results of opinion/attitudinal surveys and evalua-
tions following awareness campaigns
• Number of business associations devoted to
women, youth, rural entrepreneurs, SMEs, …
• Success in fostering a positive socie-
tal attitude toward entrepreneurs
• Opportunities for networking for spe-
cic target groups
Source: UNCTAD
Annex I - Example of indicators to measure
effectiveness of entrepreneurship policies
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Angola Entrepreneurship Policy Review
Annex II - The UNCTAD Entrepreneurship Policy
Framework
The Entrepreneurship Policy Framework (EPF) of UNCTAD has been used as a basis for (1) the Mapping
and assessment of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Angola dated 2020, (2) consultations held with
major stakeholders involved in entrepreneurship development in 2020 and 2023 and (3) the Report on
the multistakeholder dialogue of the elaboration of the national entrepreneurship policy of 2023, with the
objective to identify focus areas to advance the entrepreneurship agenda in Angola and allow the country
to improve its business environment and be competitive on the world market.
Key components of an entrepreneurship policy framework
1
Formulating National Entrepreneurship Strategy
2
Optimizing the
Regulatory
Environment
3
Enhancing
Entrepreneurship
Education and Skills
Development
4
Facilitating
Technology
Exchange and
Innovation
5
Improving Access
to Finance
6
Promoting
Awarenessand
Networking
Source: UNCTAD
Optimizing the regulatory environment
The unleashing of entrepreneurship requires an environment that enables the entrepreneur to create,
operate, manage, and if necessary, close a business within a context where compliance with the rule of law
governing disclosure, licensing and registration procedures, and the protection of physical and intellectual
property is guaranteed. The regulatory environment should encourage people to set up their own business,
to try new business ideas and to take on calculated risks, keeping administrative burdens to the minimum
required to support public policy and sustainable development objectives.
Enhancing entrepreneurship education and skills development
Entrepreneurial skills centre around attitudes (soft skills), such as persistence, networking and self-
condence on the one hand and enabling skills (hard skills) on the other hand, including basic start- up
knowledge, business planning, nancial literacy and managerial skills. Effective entrepreneurship education
policies and programmes focus on developing these entrepreneurial competencies and skills, which are
transferable and benecial in many work contexts. The aim is not only to strengthen the capacity and desire
of more individuals to start their own enterprises, but also to develop an entrepreneurial culture in society.
Facilitating technology exchange and innovation
Entrepreneurship, technology and innovation are mutually supportive. Technology provides entrepreneurs
with new tools to improve the efciency and productivity of their business, or with new platforms on which
to build their ventures. In turn, entrepreneurs fuel technological innovation by developing new or improving
existing products, services or processes and ensuring commercialization. They depend on the level of
21
Angola Entrepreneurship Policy Review
local economic development, the rate of adoption of technologies in use internationally, and the innovation
capabilities of local rms and research institutions; not to forget the infrastructure in the country.
Improving access to nance
Inadequate access to nance remains a major obstacle for many aspiring entrepreneurs, particularly in
developing countries. As recent studies conrm, the global nancing gap for micro, small and medium-sized
enterprises remain enormous. Entrepreneurs of all types and sizes require a variety of nancial services,
including facilities for making deposits and payments as well as accessing credit, equity and guarantees.
Networking and access to markets
The general attitude towards entrepreneurship is a product of societal values, tolerance of risk, fear of failure,
rewards of success, encouragement of creativity and experimentation and recognition of persistence.
Fostering an entrepreneurial culture that positively values entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship is a key
determinant of the success of an entrepreneurship policy framework, and it is also a crucial factor to
overcome the culture of dependency, either from governments or aid donors.
