The Northern Integrated Development Agency (ADIN) is implementing a set of strategic economic projects aimed at accelerating development in northern Mozambique, promoting social cohesion and creating up to 100,000 jobs by 2029.
The strategy was presented by Francisco Magaia, head of ADIN’s office in Pemba, Cabo Delgado province, in an interview with AIM. He highlighted investments estimated at more than $2.3 billion intended to stimulate the region’s economy.
According to the official, the intervention in Cabo Delgado follows an integrated approach based on three key pillars: humanitarian assistance, stabilisation and economic development. This strategy responds to the impact of the armed insurgency that has affected the province since 2017.
“The implementation in Cabo Delgado province has three essential objectives: first, humanitarian assistance; second, peacebuilding and stabilisation; and third, development. This has been the main approach,” he explained.
At the centre of this strategy is the Northern Integrated Development Programme (PREDIN), considered the largest programme currently underway in the region. “The investment volume is around $2.3 billion. The resources mainly come from international partners, particularly the World Bank,” Magaia said.
According to the official, by the end of 2025 the programme’s implementation level stood at about 30%, and the current priority is to accelerate the execution of initiatives. To strengthen coordination and monitoring, ADIN has launched the Northern Project Management System (SGPN).
“The most important thing now is to accelerate the implementation of these projects. The system allows us to have greater control over which partners are experiencing delays and what measures must be taken to ensure the completion of the initiatives,” he explained.
The strategy also includes mechanisms for direct financing to the private sector through the Conecta Negócios programme and a Catalytic Fund for Business Recovery, designed to provide grants to support small and medium-sized enterprises affected by the crisis.
According to Magaia, 23 companies in Cabo Delgado recently began receiving initial funding ranging between one and three million meticais, corresponding to 50% of the total support planned for each beneficiary. “Once they demonstrate that they have applied the first part of the funding, they will receive the second instalment,” he said.
Alongside business recovery, ADIN is also investing in the creation of industrial parks as engines of regional growth. In this context, the Government has identified nine industrial parks in Cabo Delgado province, designed as development hubs linked to major extractive and energy projects.
Among the key structural investments are gas exploration projects on the Afungi peninsula, ruby mining in Montepuez, and graphite exploration in Balama and Ancuabe. These anchor projects are expected to stimulate local supply chains and create opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises.
“The idea is to develop industrial parks for local and external suppliers around these anchor projects, fostering employment opportunities for young people,” he said.
Among complementary initiatives is the Resilient Investment for Socioeconomic Empowerment, Peace and Security programme, financed by the African Development Bank with a budget of about $17 million.
The project is expected to create 24,000 direct jobs, of which 60% will be for young people and 50% reserved for women, benefiting approximately 100,000 people.
