Mozambique requires $710 million (approximately 44.8 billion meticais) to implement its new civil aviation strategy, which aims to modernize the country’s main airports over the next 20 years.
Quoted by Lusa, Artur Soares, manager of one of the companies contracted by the government to advise on the development of the Civil Aviation Master Plan (2026–2045), explained that the plan includes 179 short-term actions and 34 medium- and long-term actions, organized around nine strategic pillars.
“The nine pillars cover all main areas related to civil aviation. The first pillar focuses on strengthening the legislative and institutional framework, with the goal of improving coordination among stakeholders in the civil sector,” he detailed.
Soares highlighted that the other pillars aim to improve air connectivity and regional integration, enhance airport security, modernize airport infrastructure, strengthen Mozambican airlines, optimize costs and operational efficiency, and develop and reinforce human resources.
The plan also foresees the short-term modernization of Maputo, Beira, and Nacala international airports, with an estimated investment of around $440 million.
“Financing will combine national resources, support from development partners, and public-private partnerships. Therefore, airport modernization will consume nearly 90% of our investment,” Soares said. He added that the document will adopt a new national civil aviation policy for the next 20 years to replace the 2002 policy, focusing on an updated strategic and institutional framework aligned with international standards.
Air transport in Mozambique reached a record 2.4 million passengers in 2024, representing a growth of nearly 25% compared to the previous year, according to the Mozambique Civil Aviation Authority (IACM).
Official data show that 2.4 million passengers passed through national airports last year, with 81,000 aircraft movements, a significant increase from 1.9 million passengers in 2023. The growth trend is expected to continue in 2025, with forecasts surpassing 2.7 million passengers, an increase of 11%.
The sector regulator predicts that by 2027, passenger numbers will reach 2.9 million, and in 2028, exceed 3.1 million. This growth is accompanied by an increase in cargo traffic, expected to rise from 18,000 tons in 2024 to over 21,000 tons in 2027.
At the end of 2024, Mozambique had 88 registered aircraft, operated by 14 commercial airlines. The air infrastructure network included 12 airports, 21 public aerodromes, and 256 private aerodromes, demonstrating the sector’s dynamism and continuous expansion.
Source: Diário Económico
