Official figures for 2025 show the extractive industry generated US$31.3 billion, with crude oil exports to China sustaining a significant trade surplus.
Angola’s resource sector drives economic stability
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Angola’s resource sector remains the cornerstone of its economy, with official data for 2025 revealing export revenues of US$31.3 billion. This output, driven primarily by the oil and gas industry, continues to play a vital role in the country’s macroeconomic stability.
The sector, which constitutes 97.88 percent of Angola’s total exports, saw hydrocarbons and mineral resources serve as the primary engines of trade balance, according to a local media report.
Crude oil was the most significant contributor to the extractive sector, generating US$24.5 billion from the production of 378.4 million barrels. China maintained its long-standing status as Angola’s principal oil trading partner, purchasing 58.42 percent of the country’s crude exports.
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This partnership underpinned a robust bilateral trade relationship, which totalled approximately US$20.8 billion in 2025. Angola benefited from a substantial trade surplus, a position largely sustained by these consistent energy shipments to the Chinese market.
Angola’s resource sector and GDP
Elsewhere in Angola’s resource sector, natural gas exports accounted for US$3.24 billion, demonstrating the increasing importance of gas within the nation’s resource strategy. The diamond industry also contributed to the total, with the production of 15.2 million carats resulting in US$1.79 billion in export revenue.
According to the Ministry of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas, the extractive sector was responsible for 13.94 percent of Angola’s gross domestic product last year. Furthermore, the industry accounted for 57.25 percent of total fiscal revenues, cementing its function as a critical support for public finances.
