The director-general of the Southern Regional Water Administration (ARA-Sul), Edgar Chongo, has revealed that the Moamba-Major dam in Maputo province and the Mapai dam in Gaza province together require an estimated investment of US$1.5 billion. Neither project has secured financing, and both are currently being presented to potential partners.
According to Edgar Chongo, the Moamba-Major dam is valued at approximately US$500 million, while Mapai could cost US$1 billion or slightly more. “The main issue is investment — these are large-scale infrastructure projects whose implementation demands considerable financial strength,” he explained.
Despite the high costs, ARA-Sul considers both dams critical to strengthening the southern region’s capacity to respond to flooding and drought. The projects are intended to address challenges that directly affect local communities, including water scarcity, recurring floods, and increasingly unpredictable dry seasons.
With a projected storage capacity of 780 million cubic metres of water, Moamba-Major is regarded as strategically important for securing the long-term water supply of Greater Maputo. The infrastructure is also expected to enhance climate resilience in the lower Incomati basin, contributing to better management of extreme river flows.
The Moamba-Major project is not new, and existing feasibility studies are currently being updated, including the dam’s design. The revision is expected to be completed by early next year, at which point a more precise estimate of the final construction cost should be available.
The need for Moamba-Major is directly linked to growing water demand in Greater Maputo. Edgar Chongo noted that the Pequenos Libombos dam, built in 1987, was designed for a demographic reality very different from today’s and can no longer meet current needs on its own.
“The main issue is investment — these are large-scale infrastructure projects whose implementation demands considerable financial strength.” — Edgar Chongo
ARA-Sul has already explored other alternatives, including the Corumana dam in Maputo province, but that facility is committed to supplying sectors such as sugar production and other consumers. In this context, Moamba-Major is expected to work in conjunction with Pequenos Libombos to provide a more secure and sustainable water supply for Greater Maputo.
The Mapai dam, meanwhile, is conceived as a structural response to the vulnerability of the Limpopo valley. The infrastructure is intended to increase storage capacity, help regulate river flows, and reduce communities’ exposure to flooding, while also ensuring water availability during drought periods.
Currently, the Limpopo River has no dam capable of regulating its flows, meaning water originating in upstream countries passes through with limited control. “The floods that come from the countries with which we share the Limpopo River have free passage. The dam will help regulate this,” Edgar Chongo said.
The Mapai project could, however, affect approximately 21 communities, requiring the preparation and implementation of resettlement processes and adding to its social, technical, and financial complexity. Despite these challenges, ARA-Sul continues to promote both the Moamba-Major and Mapai projects to potential partners, while advancing a climate resilience strategy that combines dam construction, rehabilitation, hydrological monitoring, and early warning systems, including automatic and telemetric stations.
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/2026/09/10/negocios/infra-estruturas/ara-sul-estima-investimento-de-15-mm-para-as-barragens-de-moamba-major-e-mapai/
