Supplying Medicines and Supplements to Angola
A practical guide for Angolan importers, distributors and hospital buyers who source from abroad, and for manufacturers and exporters worldwide selling into Angola.
This page in other languages: English · Português
Angola's regulator, ARMED, launched an electronic medicine registration system, SIREMA, in June 2024, with the Ministry of Health. It first prioritised antimalarials, anti-tuberculosis medicines and antiretrovirals, and the ministry has urged importers to register the medicines they bring in.
CECOMA, the state central buyer, runs e-auctions, and the government is backing new local plants. For exporters, that means registration first, then public e-auctions or private distributors.
Angola at a glance
| Regulator | ARMED (medicines and health technologies regulatory agency), Ministry of Health |
|---|---|
| Registration | Online through SIREMA, launched in June 2024 |
| Early priorities | Antimalarials, anti-tuberculosis medicines and antiretrovirals |
| Public buyer | CECOMA, the state central buyer, through e-auctions |
| Language | Portuguese |
How to supply medicines to Angola
- Find an Angolan importer. A local importer or distributor registers on SIREMA and handles imports.
- Prepare the dossier. A CTD dossier with Module 1 in Portuguese, a CoPP and the plant's GMP evidence.
- Register through SIREMA. Submit the registration and authorisation requests online through ARMED's SIREMA system.
- Supply. Private pharmacies and distributors, or CECOMA's e-auctions for public supply.
For a medicine not registered in Angola, ask your importer whether a special import is possible for your case. See named-patient and special import and government tender supply.
Supplements
Confirm with ARMED how your supplement will be classified before you print labels, and keep health claims off the pack. We help brands get supplements made under their own label by GMP-certified contract manufacturers: see nutraceutical private label.
What people in Angola search for
Semrush data from October 2026 shows that people in Angola search in Portuguese: “creatina” gets about 1,900 searches a month, “proteinas” 1,300, “vitamina c” and “vitamina e” 1,000 each, and “vitamina b12”, “vitamina d” and whey protein 880 each.
Medicines are searched by their Portuguese generic names, such as “metronidazol” (about 2,000 a month), “amoxicilina” (1,280) and “omeprazol” (1,180) (Semrush). Google Keyword Planner puts “medicamentos”, “farmácia”, “vitaminas”, “proteínas” and “creatina” each between 1,000 and 10,000 searches a month (October 2026).
How importers and distributors in Angola search
Buyers search the institutions by name: “armed angola” and “cecoma” each get between 100 and 1,000 searches a month, as does “farmácias em luanda” (Google Keyword Planner). Trade phrases such as “distribuidora de medicamentos” or “fornecedores de medicamentos em angola” register only weakly.
Originator brands searched by name include Buscopan (hyoscine butylbromide) and Duphaston (dydrogesterone). Brand names are trademarks of their owners and are used only to identify the medicine.
Supplements we can help you make
Often searched medicines include metronidazole, amoxicillin and omeprazole. Some examples we list:
Documents to ask your supplier for
- A Certificate of a Pharmaceutical Product (CoPP) in WHO format.
- The plant's GMP evidence, such as a WHO-GMP, EU-GMP or PIC/S certificate, plus any inspection by your regulator.
- The registration dossier (CTD or ACTD), with bioequivalence data for generics where required.
- Stability data for hot climates.
- A Certificate of Analysis for every batch.
Not sure a supplier is genuine? Read how to verify a pharmaceutical supplier. For the neighbouring markets, see our Sub-Saharan Africa import guide.
Sourcing for Angola?
Send the product, strength, quantity and the documents your regulator needs. We will match you with GMP-certified manufacturers and suppliers who can serve your market, wherever they are based.
Send your requirement Talk to our team