Angola upgrades border with digital move to support ambition of global transport hub

ANAC deploys SITA’s API PNR Gateway

Angola has announced the deployment of SITA’s Advance Passenger Information and Passenger Name Record Gateway (API PNR Gateway) at Dr. António Agostinho Neto International Airport, supported by SITA’s Passenger Information Unit (PIU) consultancy services. 

This move will "strengthen" Angola’s operational and data-governance frameworks.

The initiative is complemented by a new Passenger Information Monitoring and Management center in Luanda, "creating a foundation for faster decision-making and improved security outcomes".

The new system allows airlines to send two types of passenger data to authorities before departure: Advance Passenger Information (API), which includes passport and identity details, and Passenger Name Record (PNR), which contains the passenger’s itinerary and booking information. 

By combining API and PNR data, the system helps ANAC identify irregularities, detect suspicious travel patterns, and prevent unauthorised travellers from boarding flights bound for Angola. 

It's reported to also support compliance with international requirements set by the United Nations Security Council, the International Civil Aviation Organisation, and the European Union.

Rui Carreira, state secretary for Civil Aviation, Maritime and Port Sectors, said: “The inauguration of the National Command and Control Center marks a historic moment for Angola. 

"This strategic investment strengthens the security of our borders and consolidates the country’s position as a modern and competitive international transport hub.”

Amélia Kuvíngua, ANAC president, added: “The system allows us to act preventively and in a coordinated manner, manage migratory flows more effectively, and strengthen our preparedness against transnational crime. 

"With SITA’s specialised support, Angola now has robust capabilities to operate these systems with confidence and efficiency.”

The deployment is part of Angola’s national API PNR programme, which also includes the creation of a new Passenger Information Monitoring and Management center in Luanda. 

This centre will serve as the central hub for the country’s border operations, bringing together multiple workstations where specialists can monitor and analyse API and PNR data in real time. 

“Governments across Africa are accelerating digitalization to keep pace with rising travel demand, and Angola is taking clear steps in leading the way,” said Pedro Alves, SVP of Borders at SITA. 

“Angola is showing how border authorities can lead the way into a more digital and connected future. When countries combine Advance Passenger Information and Passenger Name Record capabilities with a national Passenger Information Monitoring and Management center, they create an operational model that others in the industry can learn from.

"It reduces risks for airlines and authorities, improves predictability at the border, and supports the kind of seamless experience passengers now expect.

"This is the direction the global travel industry is moving toward, and Angola is putting the right digital foundations in place to be part of that future.”

These investments are said to contribute to Angola’s broader ambition to become a "major global transport hub". 

The new Dr. António Agostinho Neto International Airport can handle up to 15 million passengers a year and is linked toe road, rail, and port infrastructure. 

Visa free entry for citizens of 98 countries, including 14 in Africa, is also attracting more visitors.