Notable people from Angola include:

Actors

Athletes

  • Akwá (born 1977), footballer, Parliament member (MPLA)
  • Flávio Amado (born 1979), footballer
  • Didi, footballer
  • Ze Kalanga (born 1983), footballer
  • Mantorras (born 1982), footballer
  • Whitney Miguel (born 1991), basketball player
  • Rui Marques (born 1977), footballer
  • Nando Rafael (born 1984), footballer
  • Manuel Sala (born 1982), footballer
  • Simão (Angolan footballer) (born 1976)
  • Manucho (born 1983), former Manchester United, Hull City and Panathinaikos F.C. footballer

Artists

Clergy

  • Oscar Lino Lopes Fernandes Braga (1931–2020), Roman Catholic bishop of Benguela since 1975 until 2008
  • Manuel Franklin da Costa (1921–2003), Roman Catholic Archbishop
  • Damião António Franklin (1950–2014), Roman Catholic Archbishop
  • Alexandre do Nascimento (1925–2024), Roman Catholic Archbishop from 1977 to 2001

Military

  • João de Matos (1955–2017), military general
  • Nzingha, 17th-century queen of the Ndongo and Matamba Kingdoms of the Mbundu people in southwestern Africa – also known as Ana de Sousa Nzinga Mbande

Musicians

  • Aline Frazão (born 1988), singer/songwriter
  • Anselmo Ralph (born 1981), singer/songwriter
  • Ben Cristovao (born 1987)
  • Bonga (born 1943), singer/songwriter of Angolan folk music including Semba
  • Mylson (born 1994)
  • Paulo Flores (born 1972), Semba musician
  • Titica (born 1987), an Angolan singer/dancer

Photographers

  • Chilala Moco (born 1977), photographer
  • Depara (1928–1997), photographer who worked in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Politicians

  • Helena Bonguela Abel (born 1957), member of the National Assembly of Angola as a member of UNITA and president of the Angolan Women's League (LIMA)
  • Nito Alves (1945–1977), member of the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola
  • Mário Pinto de Andrade (1928–1990), founding member and former president of the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola
  • Mawete João Baptista, ambassador
  • Américo Boavida (1923–1968), physician and member of the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola
  • Maria Mambo Café (1945–2013), politician
  • Boaventura Cardoso (born 1944), former Minister of Culture
  • Abel Apalanga Chivukuvuku (born 1957), politician, member of UNITA, and member of the Pan-African Parliament
  • Carlos Contreiras, President of the Republican Party
  • Viriato da Cruz (1928–1973), secretary of the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola
  • Alfredo Junqueira Dala, National Assembly member
  • António Dembo (1944–2002), politician, rebel and vice-president of UNITA from 1992 to 2002
  • Jose Antonio Dias, minister for geology and mines, 1994
  • José Eduardo dos Santos (born 1942), President of Angola 1979–2017
  • Efigênia dos Santos Lima Clemente, member of the Pan-African Parliament
  • Welwitschia dos Santos (born 1979), politician, National Assembly of Angola member
  • Aguinaldo Jaime (born 1954), current Deputy Prime Minister of Angola
  • Almerindo Jaka Jamba (born 1949), politician, former leader of UNITA
  • Maria Monteiro Jardin, Angolan minister for fisheries, 1994
  • Lúcio Lara (1929–2016), founding member of the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola
  • João Lourenço (born 1954), politician, third president of Angola (from 2017)
  • Maria Haller (1923–2006), ambassador and writer
  • Ana Dias Lourenço (born 1957), Minister of Planning from 1999
  • Abel Xavier Nzuzi Lubota, Angolan politician, National Assembly member
  • Paulo Lukamba Gato (born 1954), politician, rebel and leader of UNITA from 2002 to 2003
  • Idalino Manuel Mendes, Angolan minister for industry
  • Anália de Victória Pereira (1941–2008), leader of the Liberal Democratic Party
  • Guilhermina Prata (born 1952), Angolan lawyer, politician and diplomat
  • Holden Roberto (1923–2007), politician, Founding member of the National Front for the Liberation of Angola
  • Isaías Samakuva (born 1946), politician, and current leader of UNITA
  • Jonas Savimbi (1934–2002), politician and leader of UNITA
  • Anastácio Artur Ruben Sicato, politician for the UNITA
  • Maria Elizabeth Simbrão de Carvalho, ambassador
  • Paulo Teixeira Jorge (born 1934), Minister of External Relations from 1976 to 1984
  • Fernando José de França Dias Van-Dúnem (born 1952), Prime Minister of Angola from 1991 to 1992 and from 1996 to 1999
  • Jerónimo Elavoko Wanga (1934–2007), member of the Pan-African Parliament

Writers

See: List of Angolan writers

  • Henrique Abranches (1932–2004), poet
  • Antero Abreu (1927–2017), poet
  • José Eduardo Agualusa (born 1960), Angola born Portuguese journalist and fiction writer
  • Mário Pinto de Andrade (1928–1990), poet and politician
  • Arlindo Barbeitos (born 1940), poet
  • Dulce Braga (born 1958)
  • Lisa Castel (born 1955), writer and journalist
  • Alberto Graves Chakussanga (1978–2010), murdered Angolan radio journalist
  • Tomaz Vieira da Cruz (1900–1960), poet
  • Viriato da Cruz (1928–1973), poet
  • Lopito Feijóo (born 1963), poet
  • Isabel Ferreira (born 1958)
  • Ernesto Lara Filho (1932–1977), poet
  • António Jacinto (1924–1991), poet and political activist
  • Sousa Jamba (born 1966), Anglophone journalist and novelist
  • Alda Lara (1930–1962), poet
  • Amélia da Lomba (born 1961), writer and journalist
  • Rafael Marques (born 1971), journalist
  • Manuel Rui Monteiro (born 1941), poet
  • Agostinho Neto (1922–1979), poet
  • Ondjaki (born 1977), poet, novelist and dramatist
  • Pepetela, pen-name of Artur Carlos Maurício Pestana dos Santos (born 1941), writer of fiction
  • José de Fontes Pereira (1838–1891), early Angolan journalist
  • Wanda Ramos (1948–1998)
  • Oscar Ribas (1909–2004), novelist
  • Alcides Sakala Simões (born 1953)
  • Ana de Santana (born 1960)
  • Arnaldo Santos (born 1936), poet
  • Paula Tavares (born 1952), poet
  • José Luandino Vieira (born 1935), short-story writer and novelist
  • Uanhenga Xitu (1924–2014), writer and nationalist

Other

  • Leila Lopes (born 1986), Miss Universe 2011
  • Ana Clara Guerra Marques (born 1962), dancer
  • Adjany Costa (born 1990), conservationist and ichthyologist
  • Carlos Fernandes (1983–2024), LGBTQ rights activist
  • Eunice Nangueve Inácio (born 1948), peace activist
  • Reytory Angola, (–1689), woman brought to New Amsterdam as a slave, later became a free landowner

See also

  • Demographics of Angola
  • List of Angola-related topics
  • List of Portuguese-language poets

References