Ofure Akhigbe
Angola’s anniversary of independence will be celebrated this Tuesday, 11 November, marking 50 years since the country gained freedom from Portugal in 1975 after a 13-year liberation struggle.
Independence was achieved under dramatic circumstances, as the nationalist forces of the People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) were soon embroiled in a civil war that lasted nearly three decades.
As Angola’s anniversary is commemorated, the celebrations are tempered by the ongoing social and economic challenges faced by many citizens. Despite notable progress in infrastructure and urban development over the past five decades, issues such as poverty, unemployment, and limited access to education and healthcare remain widespread.
According to the World Bank, as of 2018, about a third of Angolans lived below the international poverty line of $2.15 a day, while roughly 16.5 million people — or 52.9% of the population — survived on less than $3.65 per day, the threshold for lower-middle-income countries.
“My life is difficult. I can’t earn money or buy better clothes, but what’s really wearing us down is the hunger,” said Adelina, a vendor at Luanda’s Kikolo market. “We don’t have a permanent place to live, we don’t have a salary, we don’t have husbands.”
Young Angolans are particularly affected. While youth unemployment has generally declined over the past 15 years, it peaked in 2020 and remains high at 27.9% in 2024, compared with 14.5% for the total labor force.
“We want young people to have jobs, and we also want society to give more support to the youth, because it is through the youth that we can help the country grow,” said Daniel, a resident of Luanda.
As Angola’s anniversary celebrations highlight five decades of independence, they also shine a light on the continuing struggle for social and economic equity that millions of Angolans face every day.