ENDIAMA
| Company type | Government-owned corporation |
|---|---|
| Industry | Diamond mining |
| Founded | 1981 |
| Founder | MPLA administration (after independence) |
| Headquarters | Luanda , Angola |
Area served | Angola |
Key people | Diamantino Azevedo (Minister, 2023) |
| Products | Rough diamonds |
| Owner | Government of Angola |
| Parent | Government of Angola |
| Website | endiama |
ENDIAMA E.P. (Empresa Nacional de Diamantes E.P.) serves as Angola's government-owned diamond corporation and holds the sole rights to mine rough diamonds within the nation.
History
After Angola gained independence, the MPLA administration took control of the predominantly foreign-operated Companhia de Diamantes de Angola (Diamang), creating ENDIAMA in 1981 to oversee diamond extraction activities. Diamang was officially disbanded in 1988.
The Angolan Civil War significantly disrupted operations, as the rebel faction UNITA occupied substantial diamond-producing regions and conducted illicit mining that surpassed official output by nearly fourfold. Prior to the war’s conclusion in 2002, UNITA controlled up to 70% of Angola’s territory.
In 1994, the National Assembly enacted Law no. 16/94 aimed at encouraging foreign investment. ENDIAMA maintained exclusive authority over exploration, extraction, sorting, and marketing of rough diamonds, forming joint ventures with international companies such as Russia’s Alrosa, Brazil’s Odebrecht, Lev Leviev’s enterprises, De Beers, and trading firms from Belgium, Israel, and the United States.
By 1999, ENDIAMA founded Sociedade de Comercialização de Diamantes (SODIAM) to administer marketing rights. SODIAM established Ascorp for rough diamond sales, holding a majority 51% stake until Ascorp’s contract concluded in 2004.
Despite challenges including the COVID-19 pandemic and sanctions imposed on its Russian partner Alrosa due to the Ukraine conflict, ENDIAMA produced 8.55 million carats in 2010 and increased output to 8.75 million carats by 2022. The company aims to reach 14.5 million carats in 2024 and targets 20 million carats by 2027.
In 2023, Minister Diamantino Azevedo revealed intentions for ENDIAMA and Sonangol to pursue listings on both domestic and international stock exchanges, initially offering between five and ten percent equity stakes with a long-term objective of achieving 30% private ownership. That year, ENDIAMA reported revenues totaling €1.3 billion.
Operations
ENDIAMA’s flagship asset is Sociedade Mineira de Catoca, a joint venture involving Alrosa and Odebrecht. The Catoca is recognized as the seventh largest diamond mine worldwide, producing over 7 million carats in 2014 with an estimated value close to $1 billion.
Subsidiaries
- Sociedade de Comercialização de Diamantes de Angola (SODIAM) – responsible for diamond acquisition, sales, and trade regulation with an emphasis on preventing illegal diamond trafficking
- ENDIAMA China International Holdings Ltd – partnership with Hong Kong-based China International Fund Ltd
- ENDIAMA Prospecção & Produção/ENDIAMA P & P – engaged in diamond exploration and mining activities
- Fundação Brilhante/FB – manages social welfare and cultural initiatives
- Clínica Sagrada Esperança/CSE – an 80-bed medical facility in Luanda offering specialized services such as cardiology, neurology, gynecology, and obstetrics
- Air Diamantes Angola/ADA – provides aviation-related services
- Grupo Desportivo Sagrada Esperança/GDSE – a top-tier football club located in Dondo
- Alfa 5 – a private security firm currently available for sale
Former Subsidiaries
- Sociedade Enditrade; focused on logistics and transportation; privatized in 2020
- Hotel Diamante Luanda; privatized in 2020 but still listed under ENDIAMA Group on its official website
Mining activities
Endiama maintains equity interests in numerous mining enterprises, each operating as an independent entity:
- Sociedade de Desenvolvimento Mineiro de Angola (SDM), with a 50% share held jointly with Odebrecht (Brazil)
- Sociedade Mineira do Calonda, holding 50% ownership
- Sociedade Mineira de Catoca, possessing 41% stake
- Sociedade Mineira do Chissema, with a 10% interest
- Sociedade Mineira do Chitotolo, owning 35%; situated in Cambulo, Lunda Norte, also engaged in educational initiatives through Projecto Educar
- Sociedade Mineira do Cuango, holding 41%
- Sociedade Mineira do Furi, with a 20% share
- Sociedade Mineira de Kaixepa, possessing 25%
- Sociedade Mineira de Luachimo, holding 25%
- Sociedade Mineira do Luele, with 44.5% ownership
- Sociedade Mineira do Lulo, owning 32%
- Sociedade Mineira Lunhinga, holding 30%; previously known as Sociedade Mineira do Camatchia-Camagico, which was co-owned by Comica (Angola), Southern Era Resources (Canada), and Minex (Israel) until the SMCC agreement was terminated in 2019, after which the Luó mine was restructured under Endiama’s administration
- Sociedade Mineira da Luminas, with 47% ownership
- Sociedade Mineira do Mucuanza, holding 33%
- Sociedade Mineira Somiluana, possessing 33% stake
- Sociedade Mineira do Tchiege, owning 25%
- Sociedade Mineira Uari
- Sociedade Mineira Yetwene/SMY, with a 50% stake; diamond extraction project located in Lunda Norte
- Projecto Fucaúma/Fucauma diamond mine, where Endiama holds a 40% interest alongside partners such as Trans Hex
- Projecto Luarica/Luarica diamond mine, with a 38% share shared among Transhex, Micol, and other collaborators
- Luele Diamond Mine, possessing 25% ownership
These investments illustrate Endiama’s approach to strategic alliances and its broad-based portfolio within Angola’s diamond mining industry.
See also
References