As the UK’s small and medium-sized enterprises increasingly seek international expansion in a post-Brexit world, government-backed initiatives are opening up new trade routes by helping companies to secure overseas contracts.
One upcoming opportunity is a UK Export Finance (UKEF) supplier fair in London on 26 February for the new Cabinda International Airport project in Angola.
Held in partnership with the Innovo Group, the event will connect UK suppliers with the project’s decision-makers. It will offer insights into the procurement process, export opportunities and information on trade finance support from UKEF.
In 2022, the Angolan government announced plans to build the new airport, saying it was a key infrastructure development to boost the country’s regional connectivity and economic activity.
The Cabinda International Airport will include a 3.5km runway capable of accommodating Boeing 777 aircraft, a terminal building, control tower and other infrastructure such as hangars and a fire and police station.
“This airport will be a milestone in the infrastructure of our country. With it, we are opening doors to new opportunities and strengthening our economy,” José de Lima Massano, Angola’s Minister of State for Economic Coordination, said during a tour of the construction site in January.
According to UKEF, the airport will be built on an unoccupied 853-hectare site 36km north of Cabinda city to meet the projected growth in air traffic demand at the existing terminal, which was built in 1951 in a “highly urbanised area”.
“The airport will have modern infrastructure and unconstrained expansion capabilities that will help support the development and growth of the region and attract investments in development of nearby special economic zones and industrial parks,” UKEF says.
The project offers a range of contract opportunities for UK suppliers and SMEs with manufacturing capabilities, particularly in aviation infrastructure, UKEF adds.
This includes baggage handling and passenger processing systems, airfield navigation and communications, runway lighting and electrical infrastructure, as well as airport furniture, painting and road markings, and supply of all fire safety-related equipment.
For more information, including the complete procurement list and registration details, visit UKEF’s event page.