- Angola has enhanced its border security and operational efficiency by implementing SITA’s API PNR gateway at the Dr. António Agostino Neto International Airport, with the support of SITA’s Passenger Information Unit consulting.
- This system enables authorities to receive Advance Passenger Information (API) and Passenger Name Record (PNR) data before passengers arrive, improving threat detection and decision-making. The initiative includes the establishment of a passenger information monitoring and management center in Luanda, enabling real-time analysis and faster responses to potential risks.
- These investments support Angola’s goal of becoming a modern international transport hub, in line with global aviation standards and strengthening the digital infrastructure of its borders.
Border authorities around the world are under increasing pressure to manage rising passenger numbers while enhancing security. To address this challenge, Angola has taken a proactive approach by deploying SITA’s Advanced Passenger Name Registration and Passenger Information Gateway (API PNR Gateway) at Dr. Antonio Agostinho Neto International Airport, with support from SITA’s Passenger Information Unit (PIU) advisory services. This will strengthen Angola’s operational and data management frameworks, ensuring that these systems deliver long-term value. This initiative is complemented by a new passenger information monitoring and management center in Luanda, creating a basis for faster decision-making and improved security outcomes.
The new system allows airlines to submit two types of passenger data to authorities before departure: Advance Passenger Information (API), which includes passport and ID details, and Passenger Name Record (PNR), which contains the passenger’s itinerary and booking information. Bringing this information together in one place gives authorities an earlier, more accurate view of who is traveling into the country and, with SITA’s guidance, helps create the processes and analytical frameworks needed to turn this data into faster, more informed decision-making.
By combining API and PNR data, the system helps ANAC identify violations, detect suspicious travel patterns, and prevent unauthorized travelers from boarding flights to Angola. It also supports compliance with international requirements established by the United Nations Security Council, the International Civil Aviation Organization, and the European Union.
“The opening of the National Command and Control Center represents a historic moment for Angola. This strategic investment strengthens the security of our borders and strengthens the country’s position as a modern and competitive international transport hub,” said Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Maritime and Ports, Rui Carrera.
ANAC President Amelia Kuvingwa added: “The system allows us to act preventively and in a coordinated way, manage migration flows more effectively, and strengthen our preparedness against transnational crime. Thanks to the specialized support from SITA, Angola now has strong capabilities to operate these systems with confidence and efficiency.”
The deployment is part of Angola’s national API PNR programme, which also includes the establishment of a new passenger information monitoring and management center in Luanda. This center will serve as the central hub for the country’s border operations, bringing together multiple workstations where specialists can monitor and analyze API and PNR data in real-time. By presenting information in an integrated way, teams can coordinate faster responses to potential risks or incidents.
Close to the Passenger Information Control and Management Center is a dedicated data center with high processing and storage capacity. The proximity of both facilities ensures secure, uninterrupted communication between systems and supports rapid analysis of large amounts of information. The Passenger Information Control and Management Center is scheduled to open on 11 December 2025, marking an important milestone in Angola’s border modernization efforts.
“Governments across Africa are accelerating digital transformation to keep pace with growing travel demand, and Angola is taking clear steps in leading the way,” said Pedro Alves, Senior Vice President for Border Affairs at SITA. “Angola shows how border authorities can lead the way towards a more digital and more connected future. When countries combine advanced passenger information and passenger name record capabilities with a national center for monitoring and managing passenger information, they create an operating model that others in the industry can learn from. It reduces the risks faced by airlines and authorities, improves predictability at borders, and supports the kind of seamless experience travelers expect now. This is the direction the global travel industry is moving towards, and Angola is laying the right digital foundations. Be part of this The future.
These investments contribute to Angola’s broader ambition to become a major global transport hub. The new Dr. Antonio Agostino Neto International Airport can handle up to 15 million passengers annually and is connected to extensive road, rail and port infrastructure, enhancing national and regional connectivity. Visa-free entry for citizens of 98 countries, including 14 in Africa, is also attracting more visitors, while international platforms such as CNN Travel have highlighted Angola’s natural landscapes and cultural heritage.
By adopting SITA’s API PNR portal and investing in its National Center for Passenger Information Monitoring and Management, Angola is creating the digital border infrastructure needed to support safe travel, economic development and its vision of becoming a globally connected transport hub.
About the Author
