Empresa Nacional de Hidrocarbonetos (ENH), through its Local Content Director Nilton Cuinhane, has argued that the exploitation of natural gas resources must contribute to industrialisation, job creation and economic diversification. The position was presented on Thursday, 3 July, during a seminar on the role of hydrocarbons in national development, held as part of the 61st edition of the Feira Internacional de Maputo (FACIM 2026).
Nilton Cuinhane argued that local content should be assessed by the concrete benefits generated for communities and for the national business sector, through the capacity-building of companies and the workforce. "The success of local content is measured by the real impact on communities and on the Mozambican business fabric," the official stated, advocating for sustainable national participation in the hydrocarbons value chain.
ENH's Commercial and Domestic and Regional Marketing Director, Titos Nhabomba, highlighted the potential of natural gas to meet the country's energy and industrial needs. He noted that approximately 33% of the national energy mix is already generated from natural gas. "The priority is to convert subsurface reserves into a direct impact on the well-being of Mozambicans," Nhabomba said.
Nhabomba also highlighted advances in local liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) production, which already covers between 70% and 75% of domestic market needs, reducing dependence on imports. He further noted that legislation reserves 25% of produced gas for the domestic market at sustainable prices, creating conditions for the development of activities such as petrochemicals, power generation and fertiliser production.
According to Nhabomba, the utilisation of natural gas could also boost agriculture through local fertiliser production and strengthen the energy capacity needed to sustain new industries. He argued that expanding infrastructure and domestic gas use could increase the value added retained in the country and help position Mozambique as a regional energy hub.
On the local content front, Nilton Cuinhane underscored ENH's role in coordinating with the partners of major projects to increase the absorption of qualified national professionals. He also advocated for technology and knowledge transfer as essential factors in strengthening the local market. "National companies must be equipped to be competitive, sustainable and capable of diversifying the economy," Cuinhane stressed.
Ken McGhee, coordinator of ENH's Linkar Programme, said Mozambican companies are in a position to integrate into the supply chain of major hydrocarbons projects. The programme maintains a database of approximately 300 companies mapped across the provinces of Inhambane, Maputo and Cabo Delgado, of which roughly 40% are women-led.
Despite this potential, McGhee identified certification as one of the main gaps that national companies must overcome in order to compete for major project contracts. The required standards include ISO 9001 for quality management, ISO 14001 for environmental management, and ISO 45001 for occupational health and safety. "Having these certifications is the driving licence that allows companies to compete for and win opportunities," McGhee said.
The seminar, moderated by the president of the Associação de Conteúdo Local de Moçambique (ACLM), Elthon Chemane, concluded that transforming hydrocarbons into an engine of development depends on the creation of national capabilities. Infrastructure expansion, professional training, company certification, technology transfer and local value addition were identified as fundamental factors to ensure that natural resources contribute to the industrialisation and sustainable diversification of the Mozambican economy.
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/2026/09/03/oilgas/facim-2026-enh-quer-transformar-hidrocarbonetos-em-motor-da-industrializacao-e-diversificacao-economica/
