The government spent approximately $1.1 billion on fuel imports throughout 2025, confirming a trend of annual reduction in this type of expenditure, according to data released by the Bank of Mozambique (BdM), Lusa reported.
According to the central bank’s statistical report, covering the period from January to December, diesel continued to lead the import structure, totaling $771.6 million, followed by gasoline at $326.7 million.
Overall, the fuel bill decreased by 5% compared to 2024, a year in which the country imported $1.1 billion—a figure that already represented, at the time, the lowest level since the COVID-19 pandemic. The downward trend becomes even more evident when compared to the $1.4 billion recorded in 2023 and the $1.9 billion in 2022.
Despite the reduction, fuels continue to account for a significant share of the import structure, representing nearly half of the approximately $2.3 billion in intermediate goods purchased by the country in 2025. This group also includes electricity, aluminum, construction materials, lubricants, fertilizers, cement, and tar.
Against a backdrop of tensions in the Middle East, the Secretary of State for the Treasury and Budget stated on March 10 that Mozambique has fuel reserves of approximately 75,000 tons, which are considered sufficient to ensure supply through early May. He added that about 80% of the country’s imports pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic route affected by the current conflict in the region.
For his part, the Governor of the Bank of Mozambique, Rogério Zandamela, stated on March 23 that there was no need for the central bank to resume direct financing of fuel imports, emphasizing the role of commercial banks as guarantors in ensuring these operations.
“For now, we see no need for that to be our stance,” he declared, adding that the banking system has been able to respond satisfactorily to market demands.
In the first months of 2025, Mozambique faced constraints in fuel supply linked to a shortage of foreign exchange. In response, the central bank adopted measures to boost the availability of foreign currency in the financial system, with a view to ensuring the continuity of imports.
It should be noted that, in 2023, the Bank of Mozambique ceased to subsidize fuel import invoices, a practice that began in 2005 and had come to cover the full cost of such invoices after 2010. The decision was based on the reduction in the unit value of the invoices and the increased capacity of commercial banks to handle this type of financing.
