Angola’s national oil company Sonangol has signed two agreements with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) – a private university based in Boston, United States (US) – aimed at strengthening cooperation and knowledge-transfer in the fields of oil, gas and critical minerals. The agreements – dubbed the MIT Industrial Liaison Program (MIT-ILP) and MIT Africa – seek to strengthen US-Africa ties by facilitating greater collaboration and skills development opportunities.

The African Energy Chamber (AEC) – the voice of the African energy sector – commends Angola and Sonangol for forging this strategic alliance with one of the world’s leading innovation institutions. The AEC believes partnerships of this nature are vital to accelerating Africa’s energy transition while equipping the next generation of African professionals with the skills and knowledge required to drive industrial growth, energy security and sustainable resource development.

The agreements were signed by Sonangol CEO Sebastião Gaspar Martins and MIT Executive Vice President Glan Shor during a meeting presided over by Angola’s Minister of Mineral Resources, Petroleum and Gas Diamantino Azevedo. A core focus of the meeting and the subsequent agreements was to explore opportunities to support Angolan resource development by leveraging global research, innovation and technology. With goals to increase oil production, diversify the industry through innovative gas projects and advance the development of alternative energy sources such as green hydrogen, Angola has committed to working with global partners to transform ideas into solutions. The agreements serve as catalyst for these objectives by laying the foundation for bilateral research and development.

Under MIT-ILP, Sonangol and MIT will work together to develop strategic industries such as energy, mining, engineering, construction and infrastructure. According to Minister Azevedo, this program will enable Sonangol to directly interact with MIT research centers in key areas, thereby accelerating innovation in the oil sector while facilitating a just energy transition. Minister Azevedo shared that visiting MIT showed the Angolan delegation how applied research is closely linked with humanity’s real challenges – notably, clean energy, artificial intelligence, resilient infrastructure and digital transformation. MIT-ILP will support the development of Angolan expertise and innovation.

Meanwhile, MIT Africa features two programs - Global Classroom and Global Teaching Labs - aimed at facilitating knowledge-exchange, staff training, joint research and academic mentoring. Both the Global Classroom program and Global Teaching Labs program allow Angolan educational institutions to tap into US expertise, with the aim of supporting skills development in Angola. Among the Angolan institutions that will directly benefit from this cooperation are the Instituto Superior Politécnico de Tecnologias e Ciências and the Sonangol Research and Development Center. These institutions will be at the forefront of implementing these innovative programs.

“Through these mechanisms, Angola will be able to benefit from innovative teaching methodologies and collaborative experiences that value national talent and promote the internationalization of our higher education,” Minister Azevedo shared. “These agreements are more than protocols: they are commitments with concrete impact in the short, medium and long term, in the fields of advanced training, scientific research, technological development, energy transition, decarbonization and industrial innovation. I believe that Angola's future is built on knowledge, serious partnerships and strategic vision.”

The agreements come as Angola and the US take concrete steps to deepen strategic partnerships within the oil, gas, critical mineral and renewable energy sectors. Meetings held by Minister Azevedo and the US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright this week highlighted areas of cooperation, with the parties committing to working together to achieve a balanced energy transition. Future cooperation will be largely built on the success American companies have had in Angola as well as cooperation in new industries such as critical minerals, renewable energy and infrastructure.

In the oil and gas space, companies such as ExxonMobil and Chevron continue to make significant strides towards unlocking greater exploration and production opportunities. ExxonMobil has recently extended its license for Angola’s Block 17 – one of the country’s longest-producing assets – in partnership with TotalEnergies. The company is also seeking play-opening discoveries in the offshore Namibe basin while drilling new wells under the country’s Incremental Production Initiative. Chevron is making in-roads in the natural gas sector with its stakes in the Angola LNG plant and upstream gas projects. In late-2024, the company started production at the Sanha Lean Gas Connection project, which increases feedstock for Angola LNG – supporting exports. Chevron also has stakes in the New Gas Consortium, the operator of Angola’s first non-associated project, coming online in late-2025. Leveraging the expertise of these players and strengthened cooperation in research and development, Angola is well-positioned to realize its industry goals.