The governor of the Bank of Mozambique (BdM), Rogério Zandamela, highlighted last Wednesday (12) the strategic role of the central bank’s regional offices in carrying out its functions and presided over the 7th meeting with regional office directors in the municipality of Metangula, Niassa Province, aimed at strengthening coordination between headquarters and the provincial offices.
According to a statement cited by the Club of Mozambique, in his opening remarks, Rogério Zandamela explained that the meetings with branch directors, which began in 2018, aim to strengthen coordination between BdM headquarters and its branches, ensuring an increasingly coordinated implementation of the central bank’s mandate.
The governor emphasized that the branches perform functions that go beyond mere territorial representation. According to Rogério Zandamela, these “are not merely territorial representation units, but strategic extensions of the central bank,” and are essential for ensuring the bank’s institutional presence, cash management, the collection of economic and financial information, and coordination with local stakeholders.
In addition to these functions, the agencies ensure, on the ground, the implementation of the Board of Directors’ guidelines. In this regard, Rogério Zandamela highlighted reforms resulting from meetings held since 2018, such as the revision of the standard staffing framework and the procedures manual, improvements to the recruitment model, and the granting of greater authority to the agencies.
Among other changes, Rogério Zandamela highlighted the modernization of vaults, the automation of processes, the strengthening of security mechanisms, infrastructure maintenance, and the introduction of new technological solutions. These measures also contributed to improving the bank’s ability to anticipate operational challenges and address them in a coordinated manner.
The meeting also included presentations on two topics considered relevant to the central bank’s operations. Edmundo Juvane, director of the Currency Issuance and Treasury Department, addressed the “Modernization of Cash Cycle Management,” while Gabriel Massinga, director of the Banking Services and Payment Systems Department, presented on the topic “Impact of Digital Transformation on the National Payment System.”
Regarding the first topic, Rogério Zandamela stated that modernizing the monetary cycle is a strategic priority for the Bank of Mozambique (BdM). The goal is to ensure that high-quality banknotes and coins reach all parts of the country safely, efficiently, and reliably, with branches playing a key role due to their proximity to credit institutions and their knowledge of local economic conditions.
Regarding digital transformation, Rogério Zandamela stated that Mozambique “is building a faster, safer, more innovative, and more inclusive payment system.” As examples of this progress, he cited the adoption of real-time settlement systems, the consolidation of SIMORede, advances in interoperability, the recent launch of METIX, and the expansion of digital channels, all of which have contributed to financial inclusion.
At the close of the meeting, Rogério Zandamela called on the branch directors to carry out “their mission with a strong sense of responsibility, leadership, and service,” emphasizing that “the branches are the central bank’s eyes and ears on the ground.”
