The Mozambican Federation of Contractors (FME) has called for a “relaxation of requirements” for eligibility in public tenders funded by the World Bank, noting that national entrepreneurs are willing to participate in the execution of large infrastructure projects in the country.
“It is a major ‘Achilles’ heel’ for national companies to win works financed by World Bank institutions because one of the main problems faced is related to the required rules—unbearable requirements, such as proving $50 million in annual turnover, which is difficult since no Mozambican company can reach that amount,” explained FME president Bento Machaíla.
Quoted by the Mozambican News Agency, he emphasized the importance of strengthening the capacity of Mozambican contractors, as the high level of requirements favors foreign entities that win the tenders and, consequently, expatriate the profits, undermining Mozambique’s development.
“We also need to consider the development of national companies. Mozambicans should, under normal conditions, be the first to benefit from these funds, because that is where there is a guarantee that development stays in the country. When foreign companies are involved, they naturally send their profits back to their home countries,” he argued.
In this regard, Machaíla urged collaboration among government partners to ensure more efficient, transparent processes with greater Mozambican participation.
For his part, Sidy Diop, Senior Procurement Specialist and Team Leader for the World Bank in Mozambique, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, and Comoros, acknowledged the challenges faced by Mozambican companies and assured that the institution will promote capacity building to overcome them.
“From our point of view, one of the limitations frequently observed among private companies in Mozambique is related to challenges in proposal preparation. In general, proposals received by Project Implementation Units do not meet all required criteria. Other challenges include limited access to financing and some difficulties in preparing documents that demonstrate administrative capacity,” he noted.
In July, the government launched a new public entity dedicated to the management and oversight of social infrastructure. The National Administration of Public Works (ANOP, IP) was officially inaugurated in Maputo, with the presence of the Minister of Public Works, Housing, and Water Resources, Fernando Rafael.
According to a Ministry press release, during the event the minister stated that the creation of ANOP marks the beginning of “a new phase in how Mozambique builds its future,” bringing greater technical rigor, inclusion, and resilience to public investments, particularly in education, health, justice, culture, and social protection sectors.
ANOP, created as part of ongoing structural reforms in the country, has as its main responsibilities the planning, construction, rehabilitation, and maintenance of social infrastructure, validation of engineering and architectural technical projects, definition of technical standards, and inspection and supervision of public works. Additionally, the new entity will promote sustainable construction solutions adapted to climate change.
The creation of ANOP was established by Presidential Decree No. 12/2025, of February 6, which redefined the competencies of the Ministry of Public Works, Housing, and Water Resources, providing it with new powers in social infrastructure management. Its operation was subsequently regulated by Decree No. 15/2025, of June 18.
Source: Diário Económico
