Paulo Dias de Novais

Paulo Dias de Novais
1st Captain-Governor of Portuguese Angola
In office 1575–1589
Monarchs	Sebastian of Portugal Henry of Portugal Philip I of Portugal
Preceded by	Office created
Succeeded by	Luís Serrão
Personal details
Born	c. 1510 Kingdom of Portugal
Died	9 May 1589 Massangano, Portuguese Angola
Military service
Allegiance	Portuguese Empire

Paulo Dias de Novais (c. 1510 – 9 May 1589), a fidalgo of the Royal Household, was a Portuguese colonizer of Africa in the 16th century and the first Captain-Governor of Portuguese Angola. He was the grandson of the explorer Bartolomeu Dias.

Dias arrived in what is now Angola on 11 February 1575. Attracted by the prospect of the famous silver mines of Cambambe, he founded the settlement of São Paulo de Luanda, near the island of Luanda. He became the first governor of Angola on 19 September 1571.