The Mozambican President today set the goal of completing the electrification of all the country’s administrative centres by December and ensuring that 10 million Mozambicans have access to electricity for the first time.
Filipe Nyusi said that under the “Energy for All” programme, the “goal” is to “allow all administrative offices to be electrified” by the “end of 2024”, after the electrification “in the last century of all district offices” in the country.
“Our goal is for the coverage rate [of the country’s population] to reach 64 per cent, ensuring that 10 million Mozambicans have electricity for the first time,” said the head of state at the opening this morning in Maputo of the 10th edition of the Mozambique Mining and Energy Conference and Exhibition.
In the same speech, Nyusi recalled that Mozambique recorded economic growth of 5.1 per cent in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2023, with “the expectation of achieving a positive variation of 5.5 per cent” this year.
“It should be noted that this trend is driven by growth in the extractive sector, estimated at 15.5 per cent, after having risen 14.6 per cent year-on-year in the first quarter of this year,” he said.
“The extractive sector’s contribution to the trade balance is significant. In accumulated terms, in the period from 2020 to 2024, the value amounts to more than 12.3 billion dollars [11.5 billion euros], in products such as mineral coal, natural gas, heavy nets, rubies, sapphires and emeralds,” he emphasised, adding that the accumulated value in the same period for electricity exports amounts to 2.2 billion dollars (2,056 million euros).
“The most obvious conclusion is that the extractive industry, energy and gas sector has provided a solid basis for boosting the economy, with a significant contribution to GDP, and is a stimulus for the social and economic growth we are aiming for,” he recognised.
The 10th edition of the Mozambique Mining and Energy Conference and Exhibition will be attended by more than 500 public and private sector leaders and professionals from around 20 countries, including representatives from the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) and the Organisation of African Petroleum Producing Countries (APPO).
The conference is expected to see the signing of various business, commercial and partnership agreements, including the reinforcement of the supply of electricity to Malawi by the state-owned company Eletricidade de Moçambique.
A study by consultancy firm Deloitte, reported in February by Lusa, concluded that Mozambique’s natural gas reserves represent potential revenues of 100 billion dollars (92.7 billion euros), highlighting the country’s international importance in the energy transition.
“The country’s vast gas reserves could make Mozambique one of the world’s top ten producers, responsible for 20 per cent of Africa’s production by 2040,” says the international consultancy’s 2024 report on Africa’s energy prospects, dedicated to Mozambique.
Mozambique will be able to “contribute significantly to the world’s energy needs, both during the energy transition period and by establishing strong capacities throughout the renewable energy value chain”.
“The transition to renewable energy presents an opportunity to respond to the country’s energy needs, while going beyond the adoption of technology and developing local value chains and new skills to meet these industry needs,” it reads.
The report points out that natural gas is expected to “bring around 100 billion dollars in revenue to Mozambique over its life cycle” and that the country also has “a significant competitive advantage in renewable energies with hydroelectric assets, such as the Cahora Bassa dam (2,000 MW) and the “future potential” of the Mphanda Nkuwa dam (1,500 MW), “enabling the decarbonisation of regional industry”.
Lusa
