The provinces of Niassa and Inhambane presented their economic potential on Tuesday (15) at the 21st Annual Private Sector Conference (CASP 2026), positioning themselves as strategic destinations for domestic and foreign investment. While Niassa reinforced its ambition to become the country’s ‘agricultural capital’, Inhambane promoted itself as Mozambique’s ‘tourism capital’.
The positions were advanced during a panel on ‘Investment Opportunities in the Provinces’, which brought together representatives of provincial governments and the private sector. Speaking on behalf of Niassa, Mauro Pios, the provincial director of Industry and Commerce, highlighted the province’s land availability, water resources, forestry potential, and agricultural productive capacity.
According to Pios, Niassa has approximately 10.3 million hectares of land, of which 4.8 million remain available for investment. ‘Unfortunately, we still rely heavily on smallholder farming, so we are fully open to the development of mechanised agriculture. We do not just want to produce more — we want to produce intelligently and increase output from around 3.5 million to between 12 and 15 million tonnes per year,’ he said.
Pios also highlighted the potential of maize, soya, sesame, rice, and strawberry crops, among others, as well as fishery resources associated with Lake Niassa and the province’s main rivers. He acknowledged, however, that infrastructure and logistics challenges persist. ‘Of a road network of approximately 7,600 kilometres, only 907 are paved. We have limitations in storage, access to credit, and processing, but these weaknesses equally represent opportunities for private investment,’ he added.
Samuel Júnior, the provincial director of Culture and Tourism of Inhambane, presented the province as the country’s leading tourism destination, anchoring his case in its extensive coastline, conservation areas, cultural heritage, and investment opportunities linked to tourism, fisheries, agriculture, and renewable energy.
Júnior highlighted the potential of Zinave National Park and Bazaruto Archipelago National Park, arguing that Inhambane offers unique conditions for nature-based tourism development. ‘We are the only territory where the so-called terrestrial Big Five — lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard, and rhinoceros — coexist, offering opportunities for investment in hospitality, restaurants, and other activities linked to the tourism sector,’ he said.
Beyond tourism, Inhambane offers opportunities in aquaculture, agro-industrial processing, renewable energy, and logistics. According to Júnior, the province currently has 827 tourism establishments and employs more than seven thousand workers in the sector. ‘Tourism, cash-crop agriculture, agro-industrial processing, renewable energy, and logistics are priority areas for attracting investment and generating employment. Inhambane is a destination of excellence — to visit, but also to invest in,’ he concluded.
The presentations took place within the framework of CASP, which this year is being held under the theme ‘Produce, Transform and Compete: Building a Strong and Resilient Economy’, serving as a platform for provinces to promote their competitive advantages to the private sector and potential investors.
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/2026/07/15/economia/casp-2026-niassa-e-inhambane-disputam-protagonismo-economico-com-aposta-na-agricultura-e-turismo/
