Angola’s rough diamond production rose 8% year-on-year to 15.19 million carats in 2025, surpassing a target of 14.8 million carats, a senior government official said on Tuesday, with the United Arab Emirates accounting for nearly 80% of exports.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) accounted for 78.6% of the exports, with Belgium following at 19.9%, positioning the two nations as Angola’s primary markets for diamonds.
Diamond exports exceeded 17 million carats, generating $1.6 billion in gross value, secretary of state for mineral resources Janio Correa Victor said.
“The volume of diamonds marketed in 2025 recorded an increase of around 70% compared to the previous year, while gross value grew by approximately 6.7%,” Victor said.
Angola, sub-Saharan Africa’s second-biggest oil producer after Nigeria, has expanded its diamond output since the end of a civil war in 2002. However, the sector is grappling with declining prices and the growing influence of synthetic diamonds on the global market.
“Despite this environment, Angola has demonstrated encouraging performance, asserting itself as a relevant, resilient and increasingly credible player on the global stage,” Victor added.
Angola is pursuing a 20%-30% stake in Anglo American’s (LON: AAL) diamond unit De Beers, which has been put up for sale amid a subdued market environment.
(Reporting by Olivia Kumwenda-Mtambo; Editing by Alexander Smith)
