How to Start a Business in Angola
(Step by Step)
A practical, action-first guide to company setup — structure, tax ID, registration, banking, payroll and licensing. Timelines vary; a clean document pack and trusted local counsel are your superpower.
This page condenses the process into focused sections. Use the buttons to expand everything or open only what you need.
- Choose the structure — Lda (limited) or SA (corporation).
- Reserve the company name and draft incorporation documents.
- Tax ID (NIF) for shareholders/directors, if applicable.
- Guiché Único da Empresa (GUE) — file registration, publish articles, obtain certificates.
- Open a corporate bank account — prepare KYC/source-of-funds and capital deposit proof.
- Register for Tax & Social Security — Finanças and Segurança Social.
- Licensing — sector approvals (health, energy, mining, tourism, etc.).
- Payroll & HR — contracts, payroll setup, HSE policies.
Pro tip: keep PDFs scanned + a one-page document index to speed up reviews.
- Draft Articles of Association / minutes of incorporation.
- Shareholder & director IDs (passports), addresses, and NIFs where required.
- Company name reservation confirmation.
- Bank letters (capital deposit / account opening, if applicable).
- Power(s) of attorney if represented by counsel.
- Sector add-ons: technical qualifications, site plans, insurance, HSE manuals.
- Account opening triggers enhanced KYC; keep UBO charts and source-of-funds clear.
- Capital deposit proof may be needed for registration or activation.
- FX operations follow National Bank rules; expect documentary checks on inflows/outflows.
- Payments: align supplier/customer terms with practical banking cut-offs.
- Fiscal registration after incorporation (Finanças).
- Segurança Social employer registration; monthly filings after payroll starts.
- Accounting — set a chart of accounts, hire a licensed accountant, and define monthly close cadence.
- Invoices — align with legal layout/sequence; keep archives for inspections.
Tax rates, forms and deadlines can change — confirm with your accountant before filing.
- Employment contracts (fixed/indefinite), probation, leave & benefits spelled out.
- Payroll — gross-to-net rules, deductions, Segurança Social submissions.
- HSE — basic policies, PPE where relevant, incident logs.
- Data & privacy — secure personnel files and payroll data.
- Regulated sectors (e.g., energy, mining, telecoms, health) require additional permits and audits.
- Hospitality & tourism — facility classification, hygiene inspections, signage & safety.
- Trading/import — importer registration, product approvals, labeling & customs.
- Construction/real estate — project licenses, environmental & zoning clearances.
For regulated activities, line up a local specialist early to shorten iterations.
- Company registration — typically weeks; quicker with complete documents.
- Bank account & capital — varies; allow KYC/compliance review time.
- Licensing — months for heavily regulated sectors.
- Costs — official fees moderate; legal & advisory depend on scope/sector.
- Nominate a single point of contact (internal or counsel) to avoid version chaos.
- Create a one-page tracker (who/what/status/next step/ETA) and update twice a week.
- Scan all originals to PDF/A with clear filenames; keep an index with links.
- Block time for in-person signings and certified copies when required.
Regulations, fees and processing times change. This guide is informational — always confirm specifics with the relevant authorities and qualified local counsel.