Angola economy minister to step down soon -reports

* Nunes Junior seen as one of the most powerful ministers

* Minister spokesman has not been informed of his removal

LUANDA, Sept 13 (Reuters) - Angola's powerful Economy Minister, Manuel Nunes Junior, will step down soon, two privately owned weekly newspapers cited unnamed sources as saying.

The minister's spokesman said on Monday he was aware of the reports, first published on Sunday, but could not confirm either. "I have not been informed that the minister will leave office," the spokesman said.

Weekly newspaper Novo Jornal said Nunes Junior, a professor of economics, was being removed because he was too "theoretical", while rival O Pais said he had been called to other duties inside the ruling MPLA party.

Local analysts see Nunes Junior as the third most powerful minister in President Jose Eduardo dos Santos' government after Ministers of State Carlos Feijo and Manuel Helder Vieira Dias.

Nunes Junior is indirectly involved in monetary policy, the planned issuance of billions of dollars in debt to foreign investors and dealings with the International Monetary Fund, which is in the middle of a $1.3 billion loan programme.

(Reporting by Henrique Almeida; Editing by Toby Chopra)