The Federal Government of Nigeria has expressed sadness over the death of a former vice president and former prime minister of the Republic of Angola, Fernando Dias dos Santos.

Affectionately known as “Nando,” dos Santos reportedly passed away on December 18, 2025, in Luanda, Angola, due to illness.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, said Nigeria shares in the grief of Angolans at this moment of national loss.

The statement described the late dos Santos as a distinguished statesman, a veteran of Angola’s liberation struggle, and a key figure in the country’s post-independence political landscape.

His lifelong dedication to public service included roles as Vice Minister, Minister, Prime Minister, Vice President, and President of the National Assembly.

“The late Fernando dos Santos was not only a pillar of Angolan stability but also a respected voice in the Southern African region and across the African continent.

“His commitment to national unity, reconciliation, and development resonates deeply with our own continental aspirations for peace and progress,” the statement read.

The statement added that, “on behalf of President Bola Tinubu, the Nigerian government, and the Nigerian people, the country extends its deepest and most heartfelt condolences to His Excellency, President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, the bereaved family of the late statesman, and the fraternal people of Angola.

“We pray that the Almighty God grant his soul eternal rest and comfort all who mourn his passing.”

Born on March 5, 1950, he was a cousin of former Angolan President José Eduardo dos Santos and a key member of the People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola.

In response to his death, President Lourenço has decreed a one-day national mourning period on December 22, 2025, coinciding with dos Santos’s funeral at the Alto das Cruzes cemetery in Luanda.