9-Rupee Fuel Price Hike Sparks Violent Protests In Angola, 22 Dead

Last Updated:July 31, 2025, 13:46 IST

The price of petrol was raised from 300 to 400 Kwanza per liter (roughly Rs 29 to Rs 38), following the government's decision to phase out fuel subsidies

Over 1,200 arrested in violent clashes in Luanda. (News18 Hindi)

A government decision to raise fuel prices in oil-rich but economically struggling Angola has sparked the country’s deadliest wave of protests in recent years, leaving at least 22 people dead and over 1,200 arrested, according to a statement released by President Joao Lourenco’s office on Wednesday, July 30.

The unrest began on July 1 when taxi drivers in the capital Luanda went on strike to oppose a sudden hike in petrol prices. Over the next 48 hours, that strike escalated into nationwide rioting, with reports of arson, looting, and clashes with security forces spreading to at least six other provinces. The army was deployed after police struggled to contain the violence.

Shops were shuttered, streets deserted, and armored vehicles replaced traffic in several cities. According to the government, 197 people were injured and 66 shops were looted in the chaos. A 16-year-old boy was fatally shot by police in the southern city of Lubango while allegedly participating in an attack on the ruling MPLA party’s office.

The protests are being described as a response not only to the fuel hike but to years of economic hardship and political frustration. “The government says the youth are the future, but today they have no existence," said Daniel Pedro, an unemployed schoolteacher in Luanda, “Unemployment and inflation have made us insecure."

The price of petrol was raised from 300 to 400 Kwanza per litre (roughly Rs 29 to Rs 38), following the government’s decision to phase out fuel subsidies. A similar subsidy cut for diesel earlier this month saw fuel prices jump more than 30%, prompting minibus taxi fares to surge by up to 50%. The government says the move, made on the advice of the Monetary Fund, is necessary to boost spending on health and education.

But the economic pain is widespread. Angola’s annual inflation hovers around 20%, and unemployment is estimated at nearly 30%. The fuel hike has pushed daily expenses beyond reach for many of the country’s 36 million citizens.

The official response to the protests has drawn sharp criticism from rights groups and opposition parties. Human Rights Watch accused Angolan police of using “excessive force" during largely peaceful demonstrations two weeks ago, claiming that officers fired tear gas and rubber bullets and physically assaulted protesters. The government has blamed “criminal elements" for hijacking the protests and creating “a climate of widespread insecurity".

Opposition parties UNITA and Bloco Democratico have denounced the government’s economic measures as “policy insensitivity". On Saturday, more than 2,000 protesters gathered in Luanda chanting slogans against the ruling MPLA and President Lourenco, whose party has governed Angola since independence from Portugal in 1975.

Luanda, Angola

News world 9-Rupee Fuel Price Hike Sparks Violent Protests In Angola, 22 Dead

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