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UK Export Finance (UKEF) is providing £655 million to back four major infrastructure projects across Angola, with the deals set to generate approximately £167 million in supply contracts for British businesses in construction, engineering and manufacturing.
The announcement, made on 8 September 2026 by Business, Innovation, Science and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds, covers a new international airport, a road rehabilitation scheme, and two electrification projects spread across Angola's western and central regions. Angola is midway through an ambitious national infrastructure programme, and the government is positioning UK expertise at the centre of it.
At a Glance
- UK Export Finance is providing £655 million in total financing across four infrastructure projects in Angola announced on 8 September 2026.
- The financing is expected to unlock approximately £167 million in supply and sub contracting work for British businesses in construction, engineering, and manufacturing.
- The projects include Cabinda International Airport, a road rehabilitation in Luanda province, and two electrification schemes in Uíge and Huambo provinces.
- UKEF has now provided over £2 billion in cumulative financing to Angola since it first supported projects there in 2018.
- UKEF has set a target of backing £10 billion in finance for low and middle income countries by 2029.
How the UK Government Backs British Businesses to Win Overseas Contracts
UK Export Finance is the government's export credit agency. It provides loans, guarantees, and insurance to overseas buyers so they can afford to purchase British goods and services, essentially acting as the financing bridge that allows British exporters to bid competitively in markets where commercial lenders would not typically take the risk.
In Angola's case, that means four large scale infrastructure builds can proceed with British contractors and suppliers acting as integral parts of the delivery chain, rather than being priced out by state backed competitors from elsewhere. Reynolds described the deals as backing British businesses to "win big on the global stage", adding that UKEF's support was helping showcase British "expertise in infrastructure, engineering and construction".
UKEF CEO Tim Reid said Angola was "leading an ambitious national infrastructure programme" and that the agency wanted British exporters to be "front and centre bringing their expertise". Angola has been a growing priority for UKEF since 2018, when it first supported projects in the country. Taken together, cumulative financing now stands at well over £2 billion across healthcare, power, water, agriculture and transport infrastructure.
Four Projects, from Airport to Power Grid
The single largest deal is the design and construction of a new international airport at Cabinda, Angola's oil rich northern enclave. UKEF is providing £371 million for this project, which is being delivered by the Innovo Group with UK suppliers acting as sub contractors. Construction is expected to support 830 local jobs during the build phase.
A second scheme rehabilitates the Camama-Viana road in Luanda province, where UKEF is backing the work with £73 million. Built by MCA Group, the project addresses significant traffic congestion on one of Angola's national infrastructure priorities, and includes stormwater drainage networks, pavement base construction, and macro drainage channel works.
The two remaining projects are both focused on electricity. In Uíge Province, UKEF is backing £93 million of work to build transmission lines, substations, and related infrastructure, delivered by Elecnor. The scheme will create 5,000 domestic connections and extend public lighting, helping reduce the province's reliance on diesel generators and improving the reliability of its power supply. In Huambo Province, UKEF is financing a £118 million high voltage transmission line connecting Belém do Dango in Huambo to Lomaum in Benguela Province also delivered by Elecnor which will strengthen Angola's national grid and help distribute renewable energy more effectively across the region.
£167 Million in UK Contracts, Which Sectors and Businesses Benefit
The £167 million in supply contracts flowing from these four deals spans a broad range of British capabilities. UKEF's financing model allows exporters including smaller contractors who could not otherwise absorb the risk of overseas bids to compete for work they would routinely lose to better capitalised rivals.
For UK Businesses
- British contractors and suppliers gain approximately £167 million in work across construction, electrification, and civil engineering projects.
- UKEF financing removes the commercial risk barrier that would otherwise price smaller UK exporters out of emerging market bids.
- The deals create precedent and relationships that support future UK bids as Angola's infrastructure programme continues.
- UK expertise in engineering, construction, and manufacturing is given direct international profile through government backed financing.
For Angola's Infrastructure
- A new international airport at Cabinda will improve regional connectivity and support local economic development.
- Road rehabilitation in Luanda province eases traffic congestion on a route identified as a national infrastructure priority.
- The Uíge electrification project will create 5,000 domestic connections and reduce dependence on diesel generators across the province.
- The Huambo transmission line extends the national power grid and improves the distribution of renewable energy between provinces.
Reynolds framed the announcement in terms of domestic benefit as much as diplomatic ties, pointing to jobs and growth in "communities across Britain". It is a model the government has been replicating across a number of developing markets, UK financing used to unlock doors for British exporters competing in economies where infrastructure investment is outpacing what local or commercial capital alone can deliver.
UKEF's £10 Billion Target and the Wider Africa Picture
These four Angola deals sit within UKEF's stated ambition to back £10 billion of finance in low and middle income countries by 2029, supporting sustainable infrastructure, clean growth, and economic development while securing export wins for British businesses. Angola is among the most established relationships in that portfolio, and the scale of today's announcement suggests the agency is accelerating its presence there considerably.
For British businesses in construction, engineering, and energy, the announcement represents a tangible pipeline of work, £167 million in contracts backed by one of the government's most active trade promotion tools, in a market that has been absorbing UK investment since 2018 with no sign of slowing.
Key Takeaways
- UK Export Finance is providing £655 million to fund four infrastructure projects in Angola including an airport, a road rehabilitation scheme, and two electricity projects.
- British businesses are expected to receive approximately £167 million in supply and sub contracting work flowing from the four deals.
- The largest single project is Cabinda International Airport, backed by £371 million in UKEF financing, with 830 local construction jobs expected during the build.
- UKEF has now provided over £2 billion in cumulative financing to Angola across multiple sectors since it entered the market in 2018.
- UKEF is targeting £10 billion in total low and middle income country finance by 2029, with Angola among its most active and long standing partnerships.