Dos Santos ousted from Sonangol

LUANDA, November 15, 2017 – Angolan President João Lourenço has removed Isabel dos Santos from her post as head of Sonangol, local media reported Wednesday.

President Lourenço has appointed Carlos Saturnino as her replacement, who will leave his position as secretary of state for oil to lead the NOC, the Civil House of the President of the Republic confirmed to Lusa news agency. Paulino Fernando de Carvalho Jerónimo was named as the new secretary of state for oil.

Board members Eunice Paula Figueiredo Carvalho, Edson de Brito Rodrigues dos Santos, Manuel Lino Carvalho Lemos, João Pedro de Freitas Saraiva dos Santos, José Gime, André Lelo and Sarju Raikundalia were also removed from their positions. The new board members are Sebastião Pai Querido Gaspar Martins, executive administrator; Luís Ferreira do Nascimento José Maria, executive administrator; Carlos Eduardo Ferraz de Carvalho Pinto, executive administrator; Rosário Fernando Isaac, executive administrator; Baltazar Agostinho Gonçalves Miguel, executive administrator; Alice Marisa Leão Sopas Pinto da Cruz, executive administrator; José Gime-Administrador, non-executive administrator; and André Lelo, non-executive administrator.

Earlier in the month, Sonangol had denied reports of dos Santos’ dismissal. She was appointed as head of Sonangol by her father, then President José Eduardo dos Santos, in June 2016, after the company’s board was sacked by presidential decree. The former president claimed that the move was intended to increase efficiency and profitability, though it has raised concerns over compliance with anti-nepotism rules as well as worries that it could drive away international banks wanting to do business with Sonangol.

The journalist and activist Rafael Marques, head of anti-corruption watchdog Maka Angola, has filed several complaints, requesting the country’s attorney general to repeal the decision and an inquiry by the country’s Supreme Court. The Supreme Court dismissed the application in late December 2016, but the opposition plaintiffs said they would appeal the decision to the Constitutional Court.

Although not a petroleum engineer, dos Santos, Africa’s richest woman, has made numerous successful investments in energy businesses.

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