Sonangol Group is a state-owned business entity composed of a Sonangol EP and a large number of smaller subsidiaries. Responsible for all natural gas and oil production in the hydrocarbon-rich state of Angola, it is correspondingly large, complex and possesses huge revenues; these were in excess of $14bn for 2015.

Despite its dominance in oil and gas extraction and production in Angola, the company is still required to undertake a large amount of work in order to pre-qualify, assess and select prospective contracts for these efforts. The legal function at Sonangol has undergone personnel changes lately, with new General Counsel Tiago Neto taking over in September 2016, but it continues to support the company’s negotiations, agreements, arbitrations and disputes effectively. Initiatives to increase transparency across the company’s operations have also been pledged by the company’s CEO.

As the company looks to expand while contending with low global oil prices, effective legal advice will be at the very centre of the company’s operations.