Luanda: President Joo Louren§o returned to Luanda on Tuesday after a brief visit to the province of Benguela, where he learned about the ongoing work at the Lobito Refinery, one of the largest projects in the national energy sector. Upon arrival, President Louren§o was greeted by Vice President Esperan§a da Costa and other high-ranking Angolan officials.

According to Angola Press News Agency, the first phase of construction of the refinery reached approximately 20 percent physical completion by 2025, including the assembly of tanks and basic infrastructure. Ongoing work includes laying the foundations, performing earthworks, diverting waterways, and preparing heavy infrastructure.

The future infrastructure, which will have a processing capacity of 200,000 barrels of oil per day, is scheduled to begin production in 2027. It will bring essential products, such as fuel oil, Jet 1, diesel, LPG, and naphtha, to market. The project has received a total investment of 6.27 billion U.S. dollars, 1.4 billion of which has already been invested. It is already an important source of employment, providing jobs for 2,727 people in Angola, 1,204 of whom are local workers.

The project's international scope is also evident in the jobs it has created within the global supply chain: 677 employees in China, 50 in the United States, 29 in India, and 25 in Lebanon. The president's visit highlights the national priority given to this project, which aims to strengthen energy autonomy, promote the export of derivatives, boost the economy and employment, and consolidate the national oil value chain.