Diamantino Azevedo launched the challenge this Tuesday during the Angola Oil & Gas international conference, promoted by Energy Capital & Power, which brings together politicians and leaders of the main companies in the oil and gas sector until Thursday.
After an international public tender involving five entities did not convince the Angolan authorities, the state oil company Sonangol was mandated to proceed with construction and resume work on the refinery.
This Tuesday, the minister addressed his counterparts in Namibia, Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, South Africa and other African countries, challenging them to become "partners" of Angola, participating in the refinery from Lobito.
Speaking to Lusa, the president of Sonangol, Sebastião Gaspar Martins, underlined that the state oil company "assumed the responsibility of carrying out this project in order to refine oil with 100 percent Sonangol responsibility, but without closing doors to other partners".
According to Sebastião Gaspar Martins, there have already been several expressions of interest, including Zambia, with a proposal of at least 15 percent, and this Tuesday that of Equatorial Guinea, by the voice of Gabriel Obiang Lima, Minister of Mines and Hydrocarbons, who participated with Diamantino Azevedo in a ministerial panel on Tuesday morning.
"We are completing the basic engineering studies and most likely, in early 2023, in the first quarter, we will have a package in conditions to be able to invite more partners to join us", added Sonangol's CEO.
Sonangol decided to go ahead with the execution of works at the Lobito Refinery, after the five proposals for investment in the Lobito refinery, presented through a public tender, did not convince the Government.
