The death toll from violent protests over a sharp diesel price hike in Angola has climbed to 22, up from four reported a day earlier, the presidency said on Wednesday.
The unrest erupted on Monday when taxi associations in Luanda began a three-day strike against the government’s decision to raise diesel prices by one-third, part of a subsidy reform program. Demonstrations quickly turned into widespread clashes, looting, and vandalism that spread to other provinces.
After a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, the presidency said 22 people had been killed, 197 injured, and 1,214 arrested. Authorities reported that 66 shops and 25 vehicles were vandalised, and several supermarkets and warehouses looted.
Angola has been phasing out costly fuel subsidies since 2023, when an earlier increase in petrol prices also triggered deadly protests. Subsidies accounted for up to 4% of GDP last year, according to the finance ministry.
International lenders, including the IMF, have backed the reforms. Investors see the subsidy cuts as a sign of Angola’s willingness to make difficult economic adjustments, with fuel subsidies still estimated to account for 1.8% of GDP in 2025.
