Angola Inaugurates €280 Million Convention Centre in Luanda to Drive MICE Tourism
Angola has opened a major new convention centre in Luanda, representing an investment of approximately €280 million (290 billion kwanzas), with the facility inaugurated this week by President João Lourenço. Built on reclaimed land in the heart of the capital, the centre includes a 3,000-seat amphitheatre and 12 conference rooms, and is designed to position Luanda as a credible host city for large-scale international events. The venue's debut on the world stage comes almost immediately, with delegates attending the 21st extraordinary session of the African Union Summit of Heads of State and Government set to use the facility this weekend.
President Lourenço described the centre as bringing "prestige to the country" while acknowledging that infrastructure alone is insufficient - calling on the private sector to urgently invest in Luanda's hotel industry, which he noted remains underdeveloped relative to the city's growing ambitions. The inauguration forms part of a broader effort by Angola to reposition itself as an attractive destination for business tourism and investment, underpinned by anti-corruption reforms, visa exemptions for citizens of around 90 countries, and measures to reduce bureaucratic barriers to doing business. Four of the centre's rooms remain unfinished, including one with a 500-person capacity, indicating that further development is still under way.
Source: Club of Mozambique