Angola

Region: Southern Africa Regional Economic Communities (REC): SADC · ECCAS

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• SADC
• ECCAS

Angola has an estimated population of 36.68 million.

The informal economy represents approximately 39.5% of GDP, estimated at around $206 billion (PPP).

Informal employment is widespread, accounting for up to 80% of total employment, particularly in urban informal trade, domestic work, and small-scale economic activities.

Angola operates a civil law legal system influenced by Portuguese legal traditions.

Angola has been a member of the International Labour Organization (ILO) since 1976 and participates in Decent Work Country Programme initiatives, including strategies aimed at transitioning workers from the informal to the formal economy.

Workers’ rights are governed by:

• The Constitution of Angola
• The General Labour Law

Core protections include:

• Right to fair remuneration
• Right to rest and leave
• Protection against discrimination
• Trade union rights

However:

• Legal protections are more effectively applied within the formal sector
• Informal workers often fall outside enforcement mechanisms

Social protection systems exist but have limited coverage across the informal economy.

Angola has adopted regulatory and policy measures aimed at:

• Formalising informal economic activities
• Extending social protection to vulnerable workers
• Regulating specific informal sectors such as domestic work and street trading

Presidential Decree No. 155/16

• Establishes a legal framework for domestic work and social protection

Key provisions include:

• Right to daily, weekly, and annual rest
• Right to fair and timely remuneration
• Requirement for written employment contracts
  • Implemented through a domestic worker booklet

Presidential Decree No. 193/17

• Regulates street vending and market trading

Key provisions:

• Mandatory registration and licensing through the Electronic Commercial Licensing Platform
• Issuance and renewal of vendor cards
• Municipal authorities regulate authorisation of street trading

Requirements include:

• Display of vendor identification (name, address, card number)
• Limitations on goods permitted for sale

Presidential Decree No. 190/12 of 24 August 2012

• Provides regulatory framework relevant to waste management

Waste reclaiming activities are largely informal but fall within environmental regulatory systems.

No specific legal framework governs home working.

• General labour law applies where employment relationships exist
• Informal home-based workers remain largely unregulated

No dedicated legal framework exists for gig or platform work.

• Workers are generally treated as self-employed
• Regulation occurs indirectly through labour, tax, and commercial law

Agricultural labour is governed by general labour laws and sectoral policies.

• Employment relationships often informal
• Limited enforcement in rural areas

Mining Code (Act No. 31/11 of 23 September 2011)

• Governs all geological and mining activities

Scope includes:

• Exploration
• Extraction
• Processing
• Commercialisation of mineral resources

Applies to activities across:

• Land territory
• Inland waters
• Territorial sea and continental shelf

Transport activities are regulated through general transport and licensing frameworks.

• Focus on operational regulation and safety
• Informal transport services remain widespread

Presidential Decree No. 210/18 of 11 September 2018

• Regulates cross-border trade in border regions

Key provisions:

• Allows limited trade for subsistence purposes
• Applies to:
  • Agricultural products
  • Fisheries and livestock
  • Locally manufactured goods
  • Certain imported food products

Restrictions include:

• Maximum daily value limit (204 UCF)
• Trade limited to personal or household consumption
• Mandatory registration with tax authorities

Trade exceeding these limits is subject to formal foreign trade regulations.

• IIAG – Angola: https://iiag.online/locations/ao.html
• Presidential Decree No. 155/16
• Presidential Decree No. 193/17
• Presidential Decree No. 190/12
• Presidential Decree No. 210/18
• Mining Code (Act No. 31/11 of 2011)
• ILO – Decent Work Country Programme