The Mozambican government will introduce, from 2027, a new mechanism governing the authorisation of imports of certain strategic goods, requiring operators to first verify whether supply is available in the domestic market before sourcing from abroad.
The announcement was made on Wednesday, 16 July, in Maputo, by the Secretary of State for Trade, António do Rosário Grispos, during the opening session of the debate ‘Structural Transformation Towards Economic Independence’, organised by the Confederation of Economic Associations of Mozambique (CTA).
According to the official, the objective is to reform the current model, which permits the importation of products even when domestic supply capacity exists, by instead giving priority to national production. “Before we import, we will consume Mozambican. If we only produce 10, but the country’s consumption is 20, we will first consume the 10,” Grispos said.
The Secretary of State explained that, in the case of goods deemed strategic, the granting of import licences will be conditional on confirmation that domestic supply is either non-existent or insufficient. “Import licences for strategic goods, next year, will not be the same. To obtain an import licence, an authorisation will be required, after exhausting the search in the domestic market,” he declared.
According to Grispos, where sufficient domestic production exists, operators will be required to turn first to companies established in the country. Imports will only be permitted to cover the gap between domestic production capacity and market demand. “You will first have to check whether the domestic market has it. When the domestic market does not have it — either because of capacity constraints or because stock is exhausted — we will use the application for the difference,” he explained.
The measure forms part of the government’s broader strategy to reduce dependence on imported goods and expand market space for domestic industry. Grispos argued that Mozambique should continue importing goods it lacks the capacity to produce, while restricting the entry of those that can already be sourced locally. “We will continue to import, but the idea is to import what we do not make and to import what makes a difference, so that the foreign exchange we need is directed towards importing goods we cannot produce and strategic goods,” he said.
“We will continue to import, but the idea is to import what we do not make and to import what makes a difference, so that the foreign exchange we need is directed towards importing those goods we do not have the capacity to make, and strategic goods.” — António do Rosário Grispos, Secretary of State for Trade.
The official cited mineral water, pasta, and eggs among the products that, in his view, should no longer be imported under the same conditions given existing domestic production capacity. “We do not need to import mineral water. We do not need to import pasta. We do not need to import eggs,” he said.
Grispos also explained that the import substitution strategy is to be accompanied by financing for the creation and expansion of industrial units. He revealed that the government has already secured support from banking institutions to make resources available for investment in the sectors covered by the domestic production protection measures. “We have now secured the support of [some] banks — Standard Bank and others. For each product we are closing off, they will provide a credit line for the creation of industries,” he announced.
For the Secretary of State, the model will transform domestic demand into a market opportunity for companies that choose to produce in the country, reducing one of the key risks associated with investment. “The market is there. The government is saying: ‘The market is yours. Grow with the market’,” he declared, adding that the policy aims to create conditions for businesses to reduce their dependence on imports and move towards local production.
The strategy forms part of a broader government policy designed to promote industrialisation, ease import pressure on foreign exchange reserves, and increase the share of domestic production in supplying the internal market.
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/2026/09/16/negocios/comercio/governo-vai-priorizar-producao-nacional-antes-de-autorizar-importacoes/
