Angola has deployed air transport industry technology services company SITA's advance passenger information (API) and passenger name record (PNR) gateway at the Dr António Agostinho Neto International Airport, in Luanda.

The new gateway system allows airlines to send two types of passenger data to authorities before departure, namely API, which includes passport and identity details, and PNR, which contains the passenger’s itinerary and booking information.

Bringing this information together in one place gives authorities an earlier and more accurate view of who is travelling to the country and, with SITA’s guidance, helps establish the processes and analytical frameworks needed to turn this data into faster and better informed decision-making.

The solution is supported by SITA’s Passenger Information Unit consultancy services and will strengthen Angola’s operational and data-governance frameworks by ensuring these systems deliver long-term value, SITA says.

By combining API and PNR data, the system helps regulator the National Civil Aviation Authority of Angola (ANAC) identify irregularities, detect suspicious travel patterns and prevent unauthorised travellers from boarding flights bound for Angola.

It also supports compliance with international requirements set by the UN Security Council, the International Civil Aviation Organisation and the EU, SITA notes.

Further, the deployment of the API PNR gateway is part of Angola’s national API PNR programme, which also includes the creation of a new Passenger Information Monitoring and Management centre, in Luanda, as a foundation for faster decision-making and improved security outcomes.

The centre will serve as the central hub for the country’s border operations, bringing together multiple workstations where specialists can monitor and analyse API and PNR data in real-time.

By viewing the information in an integrated way, teams can coordinate faster responses to potential risks or incidents, SITA says.

“The National Command and Control Centre is a strategic investment that strengthens the security of our borders and consolidates the country’s position as a modern and competitive international transport hub,” says Angola State Secretary for the Civil Aviation, Maritime and Port Sectors Rui Carreira.

“The system allows us to act preventively and in a coordinated manner, manage migratory flows more effectively and strengthen our preparedness against transnational crime. With SITA’s specialised support, Angola now has robust capabilities to operate these systems with confidence and efficiency,” says ANAC president Amélia Kuvíngua.

Meanwhile, next to the centre is a dedicated data centre with high processing and storage capacity to ensure secure, uninterrupted communication between systems and to support rapid analysis of large volumes of information.

“Governments across Africa are accelerating digitalisation to keep pace with rising travel demand. Combining API and PNR capabilities in a national centre reduces risks for airlines and authorities, improves predictability at the border, and supports the kind of seamless experience passengers now expect,” says SITA borders senior VP Pedro Alves.

“This is the direction the global travel industry is moving toward, and Angola is putting the right digital foundations in place to be part of that future,” he says.

By adopting an API PNR gateway and investing in its national centre, Angola is putting in place the digital border infrastructure needed to support secure travel, economic development and its vision of becoming a globally connected transport hub, he adds.