Nandó dos Santos

Fernando da Piedade Dias dos Santos (5 March 1950 – 18 December 2025), known as Nandó, was an Angolan politician who was the first vice president of Angola from February 2010 to September 2012. He was the prime minister of Angola from 2002 to 2008 and president of the National Assembly of Angola from 2008 to 2010. He again served as president of the National Assembly from 2012 to 2022.

Early life and education

Fernando da Piedade Dias dos Santos was born in Luanda, Portuguese Angola to parents emigrating to Angola from São Tomé and Príncipe. Piedade was a cousin of President José Eduardo dos Santos. He obtained a BA in law in 2009 at Agostinho Neto University in Angola.

Career In 1971, Piedade joined the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA). Following Angola's independence from Portugal in 1975, he began a career in the People's Police Corps of Angola, becoming a division head in 1978. In 1981, he moved to the Ministry of the Interior, becoming Deputy Minister in 1984. The following year, he was elected as a member of the MPLA-Workers' Party congress and given the rank of colonel in the Angolan military. He later became a member of the People's Assembly, beginning a succession of appointments to government ministerial posts.

After having served as Interior Minister since 1999, Piedade was appointed prime minister in November 2002 and took office on 6 December 2002. The office of prime minister had previously been unoccupied for three years.

Piadade was the 14th candidate on the MPLA's national list in the September 2008 legislative election. In the election, the MPLA won an overwhelming majority, and Piedade was elected to a seat in the National Assembly. On 30 September, the newly elected members of the National Assembly met and were sworn in; Piedade was elected as president of the National Assembly on this occasion, receiving 211 votes in favor and three opposed.

On 21 January 2010, the National Assembly approved a new constitution that would increase presidential powers, eliminate the office of prime minister, and eliminate popular elections for the office of president. Piedade described the National Assembly's adoption of the constitution as a "historic moment". President dos Santos then appointed Piedade to the newly established office of vice-president of Angola on 3 February 2010. Having long served as a close and powerful associate of dos Santos, his appointment as vice-president made it appear more likely that he was being envisioned as the eventual successor to dos Santos. However, dos Santos had already been designated as the MPLA candidate for president in 2012, suggesting that he had no intention of retiring.

In 2012, Manuel Vicente, who had headed the state oil company Sonangol, was believed to have been selected by the President as his likely successor. Vicente was designated as the second candidate on the MPLA's list of parliamentary candidates, making him the party's nominee for the post of vice-president. Following the MLPA's victory in the 2012 legislative election, Vicente took office as vice president on 26 September 2012, succeeding Piedade. On 27 September 2012, Piedade was instead elected as President of the National Assembly.

Personal life and death

Dos Santos was married to Maria Tomé Dias dos Santos, and together they had seven children. He died on 18 December 2025, at the age of 75.