Opening Mozambique To A New Era Of Investment And Transparency

Mozambique’s President shares how the country is opening its doors to global business, restoring investor confidence, and charting a path of diversification beyond oil and gas to build a stronger, more inclusive, and sustainable economy. 

“Investors can meet directly with the President through the Delivery Unit, which makes it easier to do business in a clear and open environment.” H.E. Daniel Francisco Chapo, President of Mozambique 

Q: Mozambique recorded over US$5 billion in approved investment projects in the first half of 2025. This shows renewed global confidence in the country. The government also launched a US$40 million mutual guarantee fund to expand credit for SMEs. What has been the most significant recent initiative driving this investment resurgence, and how does the guarantee fund fit into the broader plan to empower entrepreneurs and strengthen the private sector? 

A: In our first eight months in power, our focus has been to open Mozambique to global business 
and to the private sector. We now have four LNG projects in the country. 

The first is by Eni, an Italian company with two major projects. The first project, Coral South, is valued at about US$7 billion. The second project, for which we have just held the final investment decision with Eni in Maputo last week, is also worth around US$7 billion. Together, Eni’s total investment stands at US$14 billion. 

We also have the TotalEnergies project, valued at about US$15 billion. We are now working with Total to resume operations after the project was suspended in 2021 due to security issues in some parts of Cabo Delgado province. I want to thank the American government for its support through the U.S. EXIM Bank, which provided about US$5 billion in financing for this project and other private sector initiatives. We believe we are now on a good path with TotalEnergies’ return. 

The fourth project is by ExxonMobil. We are in advanced discussions with them and expect to reach the final investment decision next year [2026] in Maputo. This shows that Mozambique is now a key destination for global investment in oil and gas.  

Q: Beyond oil and gas, what is your vision for Mozambique’s economic future? 

A: Mozambique is a paradise for tourism. We have a 2,700-kilometer coastline, beautiful beaches, some of them still virgin, islands, and conservation areas such as Niassa, Gorongosa, and Zinave. That is why we want to promote Mozambique as a leading tourism destination. 

On November 3, [2025], we will host an international tourism conference in Vilankulo, Inhambane province, to discuss our opportunities and challenges. We are inviting the world to come and experience Mozambique’s full tourism potential. 

We are also strengthening agriculture because Mozambique has land, water, and rivers that provide strong potential for large-scale farming. Infrastructure is another top priority. I have a dream to build a modern highway from Johannesburg to Dar es Salaam through Mozambique. 

In the north, we are developing major LNG projects in Cabo Delgado province, as I said earlier. We also have vast mineral resources, including critical minerals that are now in high global demand. 

We are updating our laws to ensure compliance and transparency because good governance and accountability are essential for doing business. 

Energy is another key sector. We have enormous potential in hydropower. For example, Cahora Bassa, located in Tete province, will be expanded with a second phase, and we are preparing the Bandagua Project in Tete province too, to help address electricity shortages across the SADC region. 

The Temane Power Plant, in Inhambane province, will generate about 415 megawatts, with another 150 megawatts from Eni. The transmission line from Temane to Maputo is already complete. Using our gas resources, we plan to build more power plants and invest in renewable energy, such as solar to turn Mozambique into a regional energy hub. 

Our goal is to use today’s oil and gas revenues to grow other sectors, including agriculture, tourism, infrastructure, and energy, while driving industrialization. With a young and ambitious population, job creation is one of our top national priorities. We are also fighting corruption and reforming our laws to ensure transparency and create a business environment where investors can operate confidently with clear rules and fair opportunities for all. 

Q: What incentives have been introduced to encourage public-private partnerships and attract investors to large- scale projects, particularly in renewable and gas-to-power initiatives? 

A: I was recently in Gaza Province with the Amani Group for the launch of their first hotel in sub-Saharan Africa, here in the SADC region. 

In Mozambique, the legal framework allows for public-private partnerships (PPPs), including the Build-Operate- Transfer (BOT) model. This means that investors can participate in infrastructure and other major developments under clear legal frameworks. We have strong laws that make it possible to do business easily with international partners. 

In terms of incentives, we are reforming our laws to create or consolidate special economic zones, industrial zones, and free zones across Mozambique. These will encourage global investors to come and develop projects here in Mozambique. It’s very important to provide such incentives and a predictable environment for investment. 

We are also focused on developing or modernizing infrastructure, including the Maputo Port, the Maputo Corridor linking Mozambique to South Africa, and the Ressano Garcia border post. We are now working with South Africa to transform Ressano Garcia into a one-stop border with full digital systems. It will be the first of its kind in Africa, and it will help address the current congestion challenges at our borders. 

Beyond that, we are also developing or modernizing the Beira Corridor, which connects Mozambique to Zimbabwe, Zambia, and the DRC, and the Nacala Corridor in the north. These infrastructure projects are open to investors under the PPP arrangement. 

Mozambique has many assets and opportunities for investment across different sectors. And importantly, our laws make it easy for investors to repatriate their profits. It’s a major advantage for anyone doing business in Mozambique. 

Q: Your government has introduced incentives to boost agriculture and harness Mozambique’s arable land and water potential. What is your roadmap for transforming the sector into a modern commercial agribusiness? 

A: Right now, agriculture in Mozambique is mostly small-scale, but we are inviting large companies to come and develop commercial farms. There are still a few legal challenges, but we are busy reforming our laws to create a strong and attractive environment for agribusiness. It’s very important for both the private sector and farmers to invest in agriculture. 

When I was governor of Inhambane province, I gained experience working with investors from South Africa who established large farms there. Many of them continue to bring new investors to Mozambique. We are also working with Eni in the agriculture sector to produce biodiesel. Eni purchased a biodiesel plant in Italy and now plans to grow the necessary crops in Mozambique for export. This partnership will create jobs for young people and strengthen our food security. 

Mozambique has great potential to produce rice, maize, beans, and other crops for export to markets such as India. That is why we believe agribusiness is the future for Mozambique. 

Q: With rising investment flows, renewed stability, and major infrastructure projects underway, what is your vision for Mozambique in the coming years, and what message would you like to share with the international community and investors? 

A: Mozambique is Africa’s paradise with endless potential. In the next two or three years, we will be among the top players in the global oil and gas industry. But as I explained before, we also want to diversify our economy, because we are very much aware that gas is a finite resource. That is why we want to invest the revenues from gas into agriculture, infrastructure, energy, and other key sectors. 

I want to invite investors from around the world to come to Mozambique and invest. 

For the first time since our independence, we have created a Delivery Unit in the Presidential Office, which is designated, in Portuguese, our official language, Gabinete Central de Reformas e Projectos Estruturantes (Central Office of Reforms and Structural Projects). This is a good step because, in the past, investors coming to Mozambique often faced middlemen who complicated the process. 

I decided to establish this Delivery Unit so that I could personally receive and speak directly with investors. I want to welcome them to Mozambique, ensure compliance, and make sure there is transparency and no corruption. Now, investors can meet directly with the president through the Delivery Unit, which makes it easier to do business in a clear and open environment. 

My message is that Africa is the future, and Mozambique is the future. We have a good business environment, strong laws, the Delivery Unit, and a transparent process with good governance. There are opportunities across tourism, infrastructure, energy, minerals, industrialization, and digitalization. We have many opportunities for investment in Mozambique, and it is important that we continue to create a transparent, compliant environment with clear processes for all investors.