Maputo, Aug. 31, 2026 (Lusa) - Mozambique will invest the revenue generated by mega-projects in other sectors to ensure growth and development, the president said on Monday, indicating that this is how he intends to ensure the «money reaches the pockets" of every citizen.
Speaking at the opening of the 61st Maputo International Fair (Facim), which runs from today until 5 September at the Ricatla International Fair and Exhibition Centre in Maputo, Daniel Chapo noted that the country now has two ongoing investments by TotalEnergies and Eni in the Rovuma Basin, whilst awaiting ExxonMobil's final investment decision, with all of these set to total around $60 billion (€51.7 billion) in investment over the next 10 years.
For this reason, the president said Mozambique was focusing on building the capacity of small and medium-sized enterprises to provide services to these mega-projects, with a view to the country's economic transformation.
«What we want is to take the revenue from gas and invest it in other areas of our economy: in agriculture, industry, mineral resources, energy, tourism, digital transformation, the blue economy, and infrastructure to boost the Mozambican economy,» he added.
For Chapo, this strategy will ensure economic development and growth.
«Our aim is to put money in the pockets of every Mozambican. Our aim is not just growth, but this growth must be accompanied by development in the sectors we have mentioned, so that we can generate income, create wages, raise tax revenue, boost the economy and, above all, promote social equality,» the president said.
Mozambique has three approved mega-projects for the exploitation of liquefied natural gas (LNG) reserves in the Rovuma Basin, classified among the largest in the world, off the coast of Cabo Delgado in the north of the country.
For Chapo, the challenge facing the current generation lies in transforming wealth through the creation of local industrial capacity.
For this reason, he said that only the local transformation of this wealth will give rise to a diversified, competitive and sustainable economy, in which young people and entrepreneurs find opportunities and scope for their growth.
«Mozambique's future will be built by all of us, working together with confidence, discipline, responsibility, competence, legality, integrity, innovation and a focus on results, through collaboration between the state and businesses,» he said, calling on businesspeople to invest in golf tourism.
«We want to transform our service-based economy into a productive economy. We want those who are discovering our country's opportunities at this fair today to be able to experience another of our greatest strategic assets first hand in November,» he concluded.
FACIM, regarded as Mozambique's leading business showcase, has adopted the theme «Digital and energy transformation for a sustainable economy» for this year's edition.
The organisers expect nearly 3,000 exhibitors from 29 countries, including around 600 foreign companies and 2,300 domestic exhibitors, and also anticipate welcoming around 55,000 visitors over the six days of the event. Brazil is participating as the guest of honour.
In addition to the exhibition spaces, Facim features an agricultural fair, sector-specific and institutional pavilions, and various initiatives to promote Mozambican exports. The programme also includes business forums and thematic seminars to strengthen partnerships and investment opportunities, notably the Mozambique–China, Mozambique–Brazil and Mozambique–United Arab Emirates forums.
Portugal is participating with over 100 Portuguese-owned companies, around twenty of which have their own exhibition stands.
In parallel, the Portugal-Mozambique Business Forum 2026 will take place on 1 September 2026. According to official figures, around 500 Portuguese-owned companies operate in Mozambique and more than 1,100 Portuguese companies actively export to this market.
PME/ADB // ADB.
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