Editorial Standards
Digital Angola maintains editorial standards designed to produce intelligence that professionals trust enough to act on. These standards govern every piece of content published on this platform, from breaking analysis to entity profiles, from infrastructure assessments to regulatory briefings.
The standards described here are not aspirational. They are enforced through a structured editorial process that every piece of content must pass before publication.
The Foundational Principle
No fluff. No generic optimism. No content that merely restates what industry observers already know.
Every piece published on Digital Angola must contain information or analysis not readily available elsewhere in English. This is not a suggestion. It is the single most important editorial rule governing this platform. Content that fails this test is rejected regardless of how well-written, well-researched, or timely it may be.
This principle exists because Angola’s digital transformation is too important and too complex to be served by generic coverage. The professionals who rely on this platform — investment analysts conducting due diligence, policy advisors shaping bilateral engagement, technology executives evaluating market entry, development finance professionals assessing program effectiveness — need intelligence they cannot get elsewhere. Anything less wastes their time and damages our credibility.
Specificity Requirements
Every published piece must name specific entities, amounts, dates, or decision-makers. This requirement eliminates the kind of vague, direction-without-magnitude analysis that characterizes most emerging market technology coverage.
Entity Specificity — We name companies, government agencies, regulatory bodies, and individuals. We do not write “a leading telecommunications operator” when we mean Unitel S.A. We do not write “a senior government official” when the official’s name and title are a matter of public record. Where we protect a source’s identity, we state that we are doing so and explain why.
Financial Specificity — We state amounts in explicit currency denominations with temporal references. We do not write “significant investment” when we can report “$47 million committed in Q3 2025.” We distinguish between announced investment intentions, contractual commitments, disbursed capital, and verified expenditure. Where precise figures are unavailable, we provide our assessed range with stated methodology.
Temporal Specificity — We date events, decisions, and milestones. We do not write “recently” when we can report “on 14 November 2025.” Where precise dates are unavailable, we provide the most specific temporal reference possible — month, quarter, or year — and state the basis for our dating.
Regulatory Specificity — We cite specific laws, decrees, regulatory orders, and license numbers. We do not write “new regulations” when we can cite “Presidential Decree No. 221/25 of 18 September 2025.” Regulatory analysis without specific legal references fails our editorial test.
E-E-A-T Compliance
Digital Angola content is produced in compliance with Google’s Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T) quality framework:
Experience — Our research team has direct experience with Angola’s digital ecosystem, African telecommunications markets, and emerging market intelligence production. Content reflects first-hand engagement with the entities, infrastructure, and regulatory processes we cover. Field intelligence supplements desk research.
Expertise — Content is produced by analysts with demonstrated expertise in their respective domains. Telecommunications analysis is produced by analysts with telecommunications sector experience. Regulatory analysis is produced by analysts with legal and regulatory expertise. Financial analysis is produced by analysts with investment analysis credentials.
Authoritativeness — Digital Angola has established authority through consistent publication of original, verified intelligence. Our content is cited by industry participants, referenced in investment memoranda, and used by international organizations. Authority is earned through accuracy and specificity, not claimed through self-promotion.
Trustworthiness — Trust is maintained through transparent methodology, systematic verification, honest acknowledgment of limitations, and rigorous correction protocols. We do not overstate our certainty, do not suppress inconvenient findings, and do not modify our analysis to accommodate commercial interests.
Source Attribution
Digital Angola maintains clear source attribution standards:
On-Record Sources — Information from named, on-record sources is attributed with the source’s name, title, and organizational affiliation. Direct quotations are presented in quotation marks with full attribution.
Background Sources — Information from sources speaking on background is attributed to the source’s organization or role without personal identification. The level of specificity in background attribution is agreed upon with the source in advance.
Confidential Sources — Information from confidential sources is published without attribution but with an editorial note indicating that the information has been verified through alternative means. Confidential sourcing is used only when the information is of significant public interest and cannot be obtained through alternative channels.
Documentary Sources — Information from published documents, filings, and data sets is attributed to the specific document with sufficient detail for readers to locate the original source. Where documents are not publicly accessible, we note access constraints.
Conflict of Interest Policy
Digital Angola enforces a comprehensive conflict of interest policy:
Editorial Independence — No entity profiled on this platform exercises editorial influence over our coverage. Advertising relationships, data licensing arrangements, and institutional research commissions do not confer editorial input, review rights, or favorable coverage.
Analyst Disclosure — Research analysts are required to disclose any personal financial interest in entities covered in their analysis. Analysts holding equity positions, board memberships, or consulting relationships with covered entities are recused from coverage of those entities.
Commercial Separation — Advertising and commercial operations are structurally separated from editorial operations. Commercial staff do not participate in editorial decisions. Editorial staff do not participate in advertising sales targeting entities they cover.
Institutional Disclosure — Where The Vanderbilt Portfolio AG or its affiliates have commercial relationships with entities covered on this platform, those relationships are disclosed in relevant editorial content.
Correction Policy
Digital Angola maintains a rigorous correction policy because accuracy is the foundation of trust:
Error Classification — Errors are classified as factual errors (incorrect data, wrong entity names, incorrect dates), analytical errors (flawed reasoning, unsupported conclusions), or presentation errors (misleading framing, missing context).
Correction Process — When an error is identified, through internal review, reader notification, or entity response, the correction process is initiated immediately. Factual errors are corrected within 24 hours. Analytical errors are reviewed within 48 hours and corrected or accompanied by additional analysis. Presentation errors are addressed within 72 hours.
Correction Visibility — Corrections are published prominently. Corrected articles carry a correction notice at the top of the page stating what was corrected and when. We do not silently edit published content. The correction notice remains permanently attached to the article.
Substantive Corrections — Where a correction is substantive enough to alter the analytical conclusions of a piece, we publish an updated analysis alongside the correction notice. Readers who accessed the original analysis are notified through our subscriber channels.
Correction Requests — Entities covered on this platform may submit correction requests to corrections@digitalangola.com. All correction requests are reviewed by senior editorial staff. We distinguish between factual correction requests (which are investigated immediately) and disagreements with our analytical conclusions (which are reviewed but do not necessarily result in changes).
Author Verification
Every piece of content published on Digital Angola carries a verified author attribution:
Author Identity — Content authored by named analysts carries the analyst’s verified professional identity. We do not use pseudonyms or fictional bylines.
Institutional Attribution — Content produced through the collective effort of the research team is attributed to the Digital Angola Intelligence Unit. This institutional attribution carries the same editorial accountability as individual bylines.
Guest Contributors — Content from external contributors is clearly labeled as such. Guest contributors are vetted for expertise and potential conflicts of interest. Guest content undergoes the same editorial review process as internally produced content.
Content Types and Standards
Different content types carry specific additional standards:
Breaking Analysis — Timeliness balanced with accuracy. Where we publish before full verification is complete, we state what is verified and what remains unconfirmed. Breaking analysis is updated as additional information becomes available.
Entity Profiles — Comprehensive and current. Entity profiles are reviewed on a quarterly cycle and updated whenever material changes occur. Each profile follows a standardized structure ensuring consistent coverage across entities.
Infrastructure Assessments — Technically accurate and independently verified where possible. Infrastructure data includes specifications, capacity metrics, and operational status with explicit date stamps.
Regulatory Briefings — Legally precise and practically actionable. Regulatory analysis distinguishes between enacted provisions, proposed changes, and our assessment of likely regulatory direction.
Market Intelligence — Quantitatively rigorous with stated methodology. Market sizing, growth rates, and forecasts include confidence ranges and sensitivity analysis. Data sources are explicitly cited.
Quality Assurance Process
Every piece of content undergoes a structured quality assurance process:
- Fact Check — Every verifiable claim is checked against primary sources.
- Source Audit — All sources are reviewed for reliability and potential bias.
- Three-Criteria Test — Content must pass all three criteria: unique information, specific details, and actionable intelligence.
- Legal Review — Content is reviewed for potential legal liability including defamation, intellectual property infringement, and regulatory compliance.
- Editorial Review — Senior editorial review ensures consistency with platform standards and analytical quality.
Content that fails any stage of the quality assurance process is returned for revision. There are no exceptions to this process for any content type, topic, or deadline.
Questions about our editorial standards should be directed to editorial@digitalangola.com.