Fernandes will lead a high-level IRDP delegation to the conference, including Antonio Feijó, Deputy Director General; Nelson de Carvalho, Head of the Commercial Relations, Tariffs and Pricing Department; and Hamilton da Silva, Head of Inspection Department. Responsible for regulating, controlling and supervising Angola’s petroleum derivatives sector, IRDP is playing an increasingly important role as new refining, storage, distribution and gas-related investments reshape the domestic downstream market.

Recent progress across Angola’s refinery program underscores the scale of this transformation. The Cabinda Refinery, which entered production in March 2026, is currently processing 15,750 bpd. Work is also progressing on the project’s second phase, with conceptual engineering for the UOP units and engineering of the buildings complete. FEED studies are 60% complete, with engineering completion scheduled for November 2026.

At Lobito, overall project execution has reached 25%, with the $3.8 billion refinery designed to process 200,000 bpd and produce diesel, gasoline, fuel oil, LPG, jet fuel and sulfur. The Pre-EPC phase is 95% complete and the first phase of EPC is at 69%, while EPC for Phase 2A has yet to begin. Alongside the planned Soyo facility, Cabinda and Lobito are expected to lift Angola’s refining capacity to upwards of 445,000 bpd.

Beyond refining, Angola is seeking to strengthen the downstream gas value chain by converting domestic natural gas into higher-value products that support industrialization and economic diversification. AMUFERT – a company owned by Sonangol and Grupo OPAIA – is advancing a $2.6 billion ammonia and urea plant designed to monetize Angolan natural gas while strengthening domestic agricultural production. The facility will have capacity to produce 2,300 tons of ammonia and 4,000 tons of urea per day. As of July 31, 2026, approximately $477 million had been disbursed on the project, with construction, engineering and equipment procurement underway.

These projects create new regulatory and commercial requirements as Angola moves from reliance on imported petroleum products toward greater domestic processing and value addition. IRDP has already sought to address financing constraints through initiatives such as “Café com a Banca no Downstream,” which brought commercial banks and downstream operators together in March 2026 to encourage greater financial-sector participation in petroleum derivatives projects.

Fernandes’ participation at AOG 2026 will bring the regulator’s perspective into discussions around the market structures, investment conditions and regulatory frameworks required to support this next phase of downstream growth. With new refining capacity coming online and gas increasingly directed toward domestic industry, Angola is building a more integrated oil and gas value chain capable of strengthening fuel security while creating greater value from resources produced within the country.

Taking place September 9-10, with a pre-conference program on September 8, AOG 2026 will connect IRDP and other government stakeholders with investors, operators, financiers and service companies as Angola advances its downstream investment agenda. Visit www.angolaoilandgas.com for more information.