Angola's biggest telecommunications operator Unitel is preparing an initial public offering of its shares on the local stock exchange and will launch a roadshow next week, the company said in a statement.

  • State-controlled Unitel has more than 21 million customers and the IPO is one of the highlights in a privatisation push.

  • Its statement did not give the size of stake that will be sold on the BODIVA exchange.

  • The Southern African oil-producing country has been gradually opening up its state-dominated economy to private investment, with a handful of IPOs on the local stock exchange since the first listing in 2022.

  • Unitel was previously part-owned by businesswoman Isabel dos Santos, daughter of former President Jose Eduardo dos Santos, who was in power for 38 years until 2017.

  • Current President Joao Lourenco has moved to push aside powerful figures associated with dos Santos, including his daughter, and nationalised her 25% stake in Unitel.