CMS delivers comprehensive advice on matters including privatisations, concessions, M&A, and restructuring. The group is jointly led by three partners: Alberto Galhardo Simões, who frequently advises on project development, structuring and financing; Nuno Alves Mansilha, who guides clients on foreign investments, joint venture arrangements and commercial contracting; and Tiago Machado Graça, whose work centres on domestic and international tax and investment issues.
Foreign firms in Angola
CMS
Praxisleiter:
Alberto Galhardo Simões; Nuno Alves Mansilha; Tiago Machado Graça
Weitere Kernanwälte:
Maria Figuieredo; Joana Brito Paulo; Richad Majid
Referenzen
‘The team demonstrates a high level of engagement and commitment, combining strong technical knowledge with a practical approach. They are consistently available, responsive, and proactive, ensuring our matters are handled with efficiency and care.‘
‘CMS has a deep knowledge of the Angolan legal framework, business environment, market practices and latest local trends. The team is always available to assist.’
‘The team has extensive expertise in contracts for infrastructure projects and public-private partnerships, especially in Portuguese-speaking African countries.’
Kernmandanten
TAAG
Robert BoscH
Allied Insurance Brokers Angola
Orey Apresto
Yinson Azalea Operações Angola – Prestação de Serviços (SU) LDA
Grupo Pumangol
BAI – Banco Angolano de Investimento, S.A.
The HALO Trust
Azule Energy (JV between BP Oil & Gas and ENI)
Bumi Armada Berhad
Highlight-Mandate
- Advising Sun Africa, as the developer, on a Rural Electrification Project (REP).
- Advising West China Cement in the context of the Limited Tender by Prior Qualification no. 1/2025, launched by IGAPE for the privatisation of a cement factory and a logistics centre in Angola.
- Advised TAAG on the restructuring of its corporate governance framework in preparation for privatisation and IPO, including the identification of key governance issues under applicable laws and international standards, and the design of a governance model aligned with global best practices for Angola’s national airline.
Eversheds Sutherland
Eversheds Sutherland is regularly seen acting on matters across the energy, finance, real estate, IT and retail sectors. The practice is headed by João Robles, who brings to bear extensive experience in commercial and M&A, real estate, oil and gas, and banking matters. Rodrigo Barbosa Souto focuses his work on real estate and corporate issues and dispute resolution, while Ricardo Couto is noted for his expertise in the banking and insurance fields.
Praxisleiter:
João Robles
Weitere Kernanwälte:
Ricardo Couto; Rodrigo Barbosa Souto
Kernmandanten
Chevron
DHL
Modec
Raxio
Teixeira Duarte
Microsoft
Elecnor
Deutsche Bank
HP
Angola LNG
Unisaúde
MSC – Mediterranean Shipping Company
Standard Chartered Bank
TotalEnergies Renewable
Rina
Boeing
BNI
Mota Engil
Banco BAI
ETU Energias
Inalca
Ogimatech
Teixeira Duarte
Vendap
Highlight-Mandate
- Advised Mota-Engil on a €175M Guaranteed Dual Tranche Facility Agreement to support its investment in the Lobito Corridor infrastructure project in Angola, including the acquisition of key operational equipment.
- Advised Elsewedy Electric on contracts with Angola’s Ministry of Energy for a 90MWp solar plant and 25MWh battery system in Cabinda, supporting the country’s energy transition.
- Advising Unisaúde on a corporate restructuring and investment project in Angola, including shareholder changes in its insurance arm and the expansion of its healthcare clinics across several provinces.
Miranda & Associados
Miranda & Associados advises on transactions, projects and contentious matters in the country, working across sectors such as oil and gas, mining, banking and infrastructure. The practice is led by Rita Correia, who is frequently involved in negotiations for production sharing contracts, risk service contracts, tax structuring and joint venture arrangements. Mafalda Oliveira Monteiro is recognised for her work representing financial institutions, borrowers and insurers in a broad range of transactions in Angola and other African jurisdictions, while Nuno Gouveia focuses on employment law and litigation.
Praxisleiter:
Rita Correia
Weitere Kernanwälte:
Mafalda Oliveira Monteiro; Nuno Gouveia
Referenzen
‘The team is not only highly skilled and experienced, but also genuinely committed to delivering excellent legal work.‘
‚What I value most is their collaborative spirit — they don’t just take instructions; they engage with you, listen carefully, and work alongside you to find practical, effective solutions. It feels like having a true partner who understands your challenges and is invested in helping you succeed.’
‘The team demonstrates a combination of technical depth and commercial insight, and is collaborative. The team is responsive, pragmatic, and able to deliver complex work efficiently.‘
Highlight-Mandate
PLMJ
PLMJ assists clients with complex project matters across a wide range of sectors, including banking, energy, utilities and infrastructure. The practice is headed by Renata Valenti, whose work spans corporate and M&A, employment, real estate and construction projects. Rúben Brigolas offers ongoing support with investment project management in Angola, advising across multiple industries, notably oil and gas, mining, finance and retail. Gonçalo dos Reis Martins is a key adviser to major local and international financial institutions on banking, finance and capital markets issues.
Praxisleiter:
Renata Valenti
Weitere Kernanwälte:
Rúben Brigolas; Gonçalo dos Reis Martins
Referenzen
‘Rúben Brigolas’s mindset is very open, allowing him to establish collaborations in ways that clients prefer.‘
‘We have been delighted with the service we received across a range of issues involving our investments in Angola. Their advice has been spot on and their response times have been excellent.‘
‘What sets PLMJ apart is its ability to combine in-depth knowledge of the Angolan legal framework with international standards of quality and rigour.‘
Kernmandanten
ENSA – Empresa Nacional de Seguros de Angola, S.A.
SG HEMERA CAPITAL PARTNERS – SGOIC, S.A.
Huawei
SAS SUEZ International
Afentra PLC
Galp Energia
Jean Boulle Group
PayPal
JP Morgan Securities Plc
ABSA
Highlight-Mandate
- Assisted ENSA on the preliminary legal due diligence, and participation in the structuring and implementation of the privatisation plan, preparing the legal documentation of the public offering and admission to trading.
- Advised the Jean Boulle Group on the JV and acquisition of a target company in Angola with 2 relevant diamond concessions (Cacuílo), and the negotiation of a new diamond project and 222 km² mining investment contract in a new concession area (N’Dumba).
- Successfully advised JP Morgan on a new USD 400,000,000.00 transaction, structured as a Total Return Swap (TRS) linked to a new sovereign bond issuance.
Abreu Advogados
Abreu Advogados supports clients across a broad spectrum of areas of law, including finance, tax, corporate and energy. The practice is jointly led by three partners: Guilherme Santos Silva, whose work mainly focuses on civil, commercial and transport-related disputes; João Bravo da Costa, who has guided numerous multinationals through restructuring exercises and M&A transactions; and Manuel Santos Vítor, who plays a significant role in corporate and M&A work, as well as in the energy and natural resources arena.
Praxisleiter:
Guilherme Santos Silva; João Bravo da Costa; Manuel Santos Vítor
Weitere Kernanwälte:
André Pereira de Fonseca
Referenzen
‘Abreu Advogados has a full-service offering and considerable experience in Angola.’
‘João Bravo da Costa is a uniquely placed lawyer in the Angolan market. Unlike many of his competitors from other Portuguese firms in Angola, João is well-plugged into Angolan society and spends a lot of time in the country. He is commercially savvy and engaged.’
‘The team led by João Bravo da Costa was always very attentive and responsive, which is certainly a distinguishing factor. In addition, they possess international expertise across various areas of law, further enhancing confidence in their professionalism.’
Kernmandanten
Africa Finance Corporation
CHINA LESSO Group
Clínica Sagrada Esperança, Lda
Nuvigroup
ProMarks Energy Solutions – Comercio e Serviços, Lda.
Taadeen Investment Limited Liability Company
TotalEnergies
Highlight-Mandate
- Advising Africa Finance Corporation (the Lender) on the proposed debt financing of an up to USD 156 million senior secured facility to Pensana Rare Earths Plc (the Borrower) in respect of the flotation concentration plant and recovery plant of the ongoing exploration of the open pit rare earth mining operation located in Longonjo, Angola.
- Advising the Thera – Produtos Farmacêuticos LDA. on Angola’s first pharmaceutical factory project, representing a substantial investment of EUR 123 million, with backing from Angolan, Portuguese, Brazilian, and Dubai investors.
- Advising China Lesso Group on its private investment project in Angola.
Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados
Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados operates as a full-service firm with four partners at the helm: André de Sousa Vieira, who focuses on sophisticated syndicated lending, sovereign debt matters and asset finance; Claudia Santos Cruz, who advises on the international and cross-border dimensions of investments into Portugal and Lusophone Africa; and João Honorato and Rui de Oliveira Neves, who are closely engaged in a wide range of energy-sector transactions, with a particular emphasis on oil and gas work. Bruno Xavier de Pina and João Tiago Silveira recently departed the firm.
Praxisleiter:
André de Sousa Vieira; Claudia Santos Cruz; Rui de Oliveira Neves; João Honorato
Referenzen
‚What makes this practice truly unique is its seamless integration of exceptional legal knowledge with a profound business vision. ML’s practice is built on a different philosophy. They understand that a contract is not an academic exercise; it is the legal framework for a business goal.‘
‚Their uniqueness lies in their ability to be bilingual—they speak the language of complex legal statutes and the language of commercial strategy. This allows them to serve not just as legal counsel, but as genuine strategic partners.‘
‚Their key capabilities include: deep legal expertise, commercial acumen, pragmatic problem-solving, and effective negotiation.‘
Highlight-Mandate
Raposo Bernardo
Raposo Bernardo provides counsel on aviation, shipping and equipment finance, project development, and energy-related work. The department is jointly headed by Ana Cláudia Rangel, who regularly advises clients in the infrastructure, energy, tourism, and banking spheres; Nelson Raposo Bernardo, whose practice spans M&A, banking and finance, and capital markets; and Júlio Martins Júnior, who assists with share and asset transactions and financing matters, as well as licensing and regulatory issues.
Praxisleiter:
Ana Cláudia Rangel; Nelson Raposo Bernardo; Júlio Martins Júnior
Referenzen
‚The entire team at the Angola office is of exceptional quality. The lawyers are extremely competent, gifted in the practice of law, with a strong practical sense.‘
‚They are a full service firm which is an advantage for us and even more so when it comes to our activity in Angola. They have a multidisciplinary and multinational team, allowing them to solve and advise on issues with a global perspective instead of merely local.‘
‚Nelson Raposo Bernardo – a fantastic lawyer, extremely thorough, and is the lead on more complex operations, such as negotiations, or in defining the strategy to conduct operations such as finding solutions to complicated problems.‘
Highlight-Mandate
- Advising on a structured trade finance facility for the import and inland distribution of refined petroleum products in Angola held by a state-owned downstream distributor, for the amount of USD 460 million.
- Advising on a financing operation for the construction and development of a logistics park and connecting infrastructure for an estimated investment amount of USD 245 million.
- Advising on the negotiation and execution of a Production Sharing Agreement concerning the exploration and development rights related to a block located in Angola’s deep offshore basin for an amount of USD 540 million.
Linklaters LLP
Linklaters delivers comprehensive support to clients on a variety of complex mandates. The team is jointly led by Paris-based Justin Faye, whose work covers the structuring, financing and delivery of large-scale projects and acquisitions across Africa, and Francisco Ferraz de Carvalho, who specialises in project finance and project development. Diogo Plantier Santos is another key team member who concentrates on M&A and real estate deals.
Praxisleiter:
Justin Faye; Francisco Ferraz de Carvalho
Weitere Kernanwälte:
Diogo Plantier Santos
Kernmandanten
Africa Finance Corporation
Proparco
The Emerging Africa & Asia Infrastructure Fund (EAAIF)
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Brookfield
Highlight-Mandate
- Advising AFC on the Lobito II cross border railway corridor which aims to unlock the critical minerals supply chain needed for the energy transition across Zambia to Angola and with a possible connection to the DRC.
- Advising Proparco and The Emerging Africa & Asia Infrastructure Fund (EAAIF), as senior lenders, in the context of the accession by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), as subordinated lender and senior lender, in the portfolio financing for the construction and expansion of Tier III certified data centres in seven Sub-Saharan African countries, including Angola.
White & Case LLP
White & Case LLP supports clients across sectors such as energy, infrastructure and telecommunications. The practice is headed by Deji Adegoke, whose work centres on infrastructure, energy, power, metals and mining matters across emerging markets. Mukund Dhar is recognised for his experience in joint ventures, acquisitions and divestments, project development and financing, as well as handling intricate commercial agreements. Lulama Selele brings to the team experience in guiding clients within the healthcare, pharmaceuticals and financial services industries.
Praxisleiter:
Deji Adegoke
Weitere Kernanwälte:
Lulama Selele; Mukund Dhar
Referenzen
‘White & Case’s strength lies in handling complex, cross-border transactions, leveraging their global network and deep sector expertise.‘
‘Mukund Dhar is a fierce negotiator with deep experience in M&A transactions across the continent. His strategic insight and ability to navigate complex deal structures make him a key asset in high-stakes negotiations.‘
Kernmandanten
PT Ventures
Etu Energías
Hungarian Export-Import Bank Plc
Africell Global Holdings
Hungarian Export-Import Bank Plc
Highlight-Mandate
- Representing PT Ventures SGPS, S.A. in a number of interrelated proceedings in relation to its shareholding in Unitel S.A.
- Advised Etu Energías (previously SOMOIL) on its agreement to acquire the upstream Angolan assets of Portuguese multinational energy company Galp.
- Advised African mobile services provider Africell Global Holdings Limited (Africell) on the refinancing of its existing capital structure with a debut issuance of US$300 million senior secured bonds and the introduction of a US$30 million revolving credit facility.