ANGOTIC 2025: GGPEN Showcases the NewSpace Economy at Luanda’s Premier Tech Event

To fully understand GGPEN’s role in supporting Angola’s digital inclusion plan, it is essential first to understand what ANGOTIC 2025 is and how GGPEN contributes to accelerating the country’s ICT sector.

What is ANGOTIC?

The Angola ICT Forum (ANGOTIC) is a global forum and integrated exhibition platform dedicated to accelerating the digital transformation of Angola and Africa. It aims to foster the creation of a Digital Single Market and to promote collaboration across the international technology community. Each year, it attracts thousands of technology experts and business leaders from various sectors, facilitating knowledge sharing and business development between government entities, established companies, and emerging mobile service providers. The forum also recognises outstanding contributions through its awards.

Building on the success of previous editions, the 2025 ANGOTIC Forum brought together more than 6,000 participants over three days (12–14 June 2025) at the Talatona Convention Centre in Luanda.

This year marked the fifth edition of the international conference and was themed “50 Years of Communicating, Modernising, and Developing Angola.” The event coincided with the country’s 50th independence anniversary, featuring over 100 companies and 180 ICT-focused startups. These participants gathered to showcase their products and services, engage in networking opportunities, and learn best practices from global experts.

Attendees included African and international government officials, representatives from ministries and national agencies, company executives, policymakers, investors, and students, highlighting ANGOTIC’s growing reputation as a key platform for shaping Africa’s digital and technological future.

As space technology is a critical enabler of digitalisation and economic transformation, this article focuses on the space component of the event, spotlighting the strides GGPEN and other organisations are making to strengthen Angola’s and Africa’s broader ICT ecosystem.

GGPEN Showcases the NewSpace Economy at ANGOTIC

The National Space Program Management Office (GGPEN) has taken centre stage at ANGOTIC 2025, Africa’s largest technology and innovation event, held from June 12 to 14 in Luanda, Angola, focusing on the New Space Economy.  

In addition, the event served as a platform to discuss and address pressing global and future challenges related to Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). It aimed to promote knowledge exchange, facilitate networking among government entities, exhibitors, and experts, and showcase the latest innovations and emerging trends in the ICT sector.

A key event highlight was the exhibition, where the organisations presented their current initiatives and future projects to dignitaries and participants, reinforcing their commitment to advancing ICT-driven development.

GGPEN’s exhibition stand has emerged as one of the most visited at the fair, attracting high-profile guests, including H.E. José de Lima Massano, Minister of State for Economic Coordination, who inaugurated the event. Also in attendance were H.E. Mário Oliveira, Minister of Telecommunications, Information Technologies, and Social Communication; Manuel António Tiago Dias, Governor of the National Bank of Angola (BNA); and José Leiria, Administrator of the General Tax Administration (AGT). Municipal administrators, business leaders, entrepreneurs, and students have also explored GGPEN’s showcase, which features a replica of Angola’s first Earth observation satellite, ANGEO-1, developed in partnership with Airbus.  

The stand also highlights the Geodata Centre (GEDAE), a hub for smart solutions, in collaboration with Africell Angola, a key partner in advancing Angola’s space technology initiatives.  

Key Discussions on the New Space Economy  

GGPEN has organised a series of high-level panels and talks, bringing together global experts to explore the transformative potential of the New Space Economy.  

The main panel, titled Opportunities in the New Space Era, featured Jorge Vásquez, CEO of Africell Angola; Prof Sherif Sedky, CEO of the Egyptian Space Agency (EgSA); and Dr Zolana Rui João, Director General of GGPEN. Dr Zolana João emphasised the achievements of Angola’s National Space Programme and GGPEN’s strategic adaptation to the evolving space economy, including its collaboration with Africell Angola to enhance technological innovation.  

A parallel GEO/LEO Satellite Communications session included insights from Hans Geldenhuys of INTELSAT, Dr Tebogo Leshope, CEO of SENTECH, and Diogo de Carvalho, Chairman of INFRASAT. The session focused on the evolving dynamics between GEO and LEO satellite systems, highlighting how hybrid architectures can enhance connectivity across underserved regions. Speakers discussed the importance of regulatory coordination, infrastructure readiness, and the role of public-private partnerships in driving adoption. Emphasis was also placed on ensuring secure, resilient, and future-ready satellite communication networks for Africa.

Another session, Earth Observation and Sustainable Development, featured Dr Moussa Traoré, General Director of France of Saha Analytics; Mr Imraan Saloojee from RIIS; and Stephané Vasvel, VP at Airbus DS. The discussion centred on how commercial Earth observation solutions are making high-resolution geospatial data more accessible, revolutionising sectors such as agriculture, environmental management, and disaster response, with a focus on African applications. 

Additionally, a dedicated panel explored The Use of Space Technology to Support Sustainable Development, moderated by Eng Luís Constantino of MINAMB, with contributions from Dr Danielle Wood of MIT, Fernanda Renée Samuel, CEO of OTCHIVA, and Dr Temidayo Isaiah Oniosun, Director General of Space in Africa.  

Training and Capacity Building  

GGPEN has played a key role in advancing technical capacity by facilitating two specialised training programmes to strengthen Angola’s digital and space sectors. The first programme, “Cybersecurity and Trust in Enterprises,” was delivered in partnership with the African Telecommunications Union (ATU), focusing on building resilience and trust within digital infrastructures for enterprise environments. The second programme, “Use of Satellites in Precision Agriculture,” was led by PT Space under the Copernicus Programme and highlighted how satellite technology can drive innovation and efficiency in Angola’s agricultural sector. These initiatives reflect GGPEN’s strategic commitment to leveraging international expertise to build national capacity in key ICT and space-related fields.

Strategic Agreements Signed  

On June 13, GGPEN formalised two major partnerships. The first was with Internet Technologies Angola, a new satellite service provider that will leverage ANGOSAT-2 for enhanced communication services. The agreement covers C-band and Ku-band utilisation, with 90% of C-band capacity already commercialised. Dr Zolana João stated, “This marks a significant milestone in ensuring broader access to ANGOSAT-2 services, fulfilling the National Space Programme’s objectives.”  

The second agreement was signed with OTCHIVA to deploy the Tech-Mangais smart solution for mapping mangroves across Angola’s coastal provinces, from Cabinda to Benguela.  

GGPEN Honoured for Advancing ICT in Angola

GGPEN received a prestigious award for its impactful contributions to the advancement of ICT in Angola. Lacina Koné, CEO of Smart Africa, presented the award, underscoring the organisation’s regional significance in digital innovation. Dr Zolana João, Director General of GGPEN, proudly accepted the honour on behalf of the agency, reaffirming its commitment to driving technological growth in the country.