Angola: After the DRC and Gabon, the Strategic Sector Targeted by Ivorian Group SCHIBA under João Lourenço

The economic push of West African companies toward the southern part of the continent is becoming increasingly clear. At the Presidential Palace in Luanda, a high-level meeting was held on Tuesday between the Angolan Head of State and an Ivorian industrial leader. At the heart of the discussions was the export of specialized technical expertise to support Angola’s ambitious modernization policy.

South–South cooperation is taking concrete shape with the visit of Nidjabedjan Soro to Angola. The President and Chief Executive Officer of the Ivorian group SCHIBA Holding was received in audience on Tuesday, January 27, by President João Lourenço. According to information reported by Agence Afrique, this meeting marks a decisive step in the group’s expansion strategy, as it seeks to extend its footprint well beyond its West African base.

After consolidating its presence in countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo and Gabon, SCHIBA Holding is now positioning itself in Angola, a country undergoing profound economic transformation driven by major investments in infrastructure, industry, and strategic sectors. The discussions reportedly focused on how the Ivorian group’s technical know-how could contribute to this transformation, in line with Luanda’s vision of diversifying the economy and strengthening local industrial capacity.

This new engagement reflects a broader trend of African-led partnerships, where expertise, capital, and experience circulate within the continent. For SCHIBA Holding, the Angolan market represents not only an opportunity for growth, but also a platform to demonstrate the competitiveness of Ivorian and West African industrial expertise on a continental scale.

As Angola continues to implement structural reforms and large-scale modernization projects, partnerships with African private sector champions such as SCHIBA Holding could play a key role in accelerating sustainable development, while reinforcing South–South economic integration.