German group SAP, which is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of information technology business applications, plans to open an office in Angola this year in order to expand its commercial network in Africa where it plans to double its turnover, a senior group official said in Johannesburg Tuesday.

Franck Cohen, the group’s director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). Told financial news agency Bloomberg that SAP would use Sociedade Nacional de Petróleos de Angola (Sonangol) as an anchor to enter the market, given that the Angolan state oil company is already a customer of the group.

“We are expanding our presence in Africa,” said Cohen referring to the decision to open an office in Angola, adding that particular attention would continue to be paid to South Africa where the German group has its central office for Africa.

The SAP group, which has its headquarters in Walldorf, Germany, in 2011 obtained 49 percent of its 14.2 billion-euro turnover from the EMEA region, where it plans to invest US$450 million over the next four years.

The group will sell its Business One package, costing US$1,500 and which can be used by five people at a time. The software package manages inventory, sales, financing, production and customer relations. (macauhub)