The Angolan government intends to move ahead with the long-awaited privatisation of state-owned TAAG Angola Airlines (DT, Luanda 4 De Fevereiro) this year, according to a decree signed by President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço on February 19, 2026.

Presidential Decree No. 36/26, seen by ch-aviation, approves the update to the government’s privatisation programme (PROPRIV) for the period 2023-2026. It lists TAAG along with ten other state-owned companies whose privatisation is to commence in 2026.

This was also confirmed by the secretary of state for finance, Ottoniel dos Santos, at the close of a meeting of the National Inter-Ministerial Commission of the Privatisation Programme, which reviewed the state’s asset portfolio, the Angolan finance weekly EXPANSÃO reported.

Dos Santos said that TAAG is among 10 state assets that remain a priority within the scope of the PROPRIV programme, which ends this year.

"These are the assets that the Inter-Ministerial Commission of the Privatisation Programme will focus on to ensure that, within the year 2026, these processes can be completed, thus ensuring the completion of the Privatisation Programme," he said.

Angola's government has pursued TAAG's privatisation as part of broader economic reforms since 2018, with timelines shifting amid restructuring efforts.

In 2018, it drew up legislation for TAAG's partial privatisation under its 2019-2022 PROPRIV programme. It converted TAAG from a state entity into a limited company (S.A.), enabling private sector shareholding. Initial plans targeted sales to one or more foreign airlines as technical partners, capping the government stake at 51% and allocating 10% to workers.

By mid-2022, the government was aiming to privatise TAAG by 2025, aligning with divestments from over 100 loss-making state firms to reduce interference and boost competitiveness.

In December 2024, transport minister Ricardo Viegas d'Abreu outlined a five-year growth plan to prepare for the privatisation process to start in 2026. A year later, TAAG entered into a two-year transformation under Lufthansa Consulting guidance, aimed at strengthening operations and sustainability.

In an interview with ch-aviation, d'Abreu said privatisation or equity partnerships remained under consideration, ideally with major European or US airline groups, but only after restructuring is complete. He said the airline must first address challenges in human resources, operations, maintenance, safety, and quality assurance. He added that TAAG had held talks with several potential investors about taking a stake, seeking not only financial support but also a strong technological and commercial partner to help build a competitive flag carrier and develop Luanda as a regional hub.