The figures reveal the Mozambique LNG consortium’s commitment to the communities where it operates: in Cabo Delgado, the project has already supported training for around 1,000 young people.
Despite the temporary suspension of construction work on the natural gas liquefaction project in Afungi, in the district of Palma, Cabo Delgado province — following the declaration of ‘force majeure’ caused by armed attacks in 2021 — the Mozambique LNG project, operated by TotalEnergies, has maintained its commitment to the socio-economic development of local communities. In 2024, the focus remained on vocational training for young Mozambicans and capacity building for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), central pillars of its local content strategy.
The information was provided by Edna Simbine, Local Content Manager at TotalEnergies, in an interview with the programme ‘Baía das Oportunidades’ broadcast by Radio Moçambique. She highlighted that, despite the adverse context, the last year was marked by significant progress on several fronts of the local development agenda.
A response to youth
Among the main milestones for 2024 is the graduation of 180 young people from the Pemba branch of the Alberto Cassimo Institute for Vocational Training and Labour Studies (IFPELAC) in technical areas in high demand in the labour market, such as industrial welding, plumbing, carpentry and electricity. At the same time, a new training cycle began in Quitunda, in the district of Palma, initially benefiting 40 young people — half of the 80 planned — in cooking and carpentry courses taught through mobile training units.
Since the start of the partnership with IFPELAC in 2022, the Mozambique LNG project has provided training to a total of 669 young people. ‘We are convinced that Mozambican youth are a strategic asset for the future of the country. Their energy, resilience and willingness to learn are the driving force behind this ongoing investment,’ said Edna Simbine.
Preparing SMEs for opportunities
In the field of entrepreneurship and institutional strengthening, 2024 saw the participation of 50 companies in the Business Development Programme promoted by TotalEnergies. This initiative is aimed at professionalising management, raising operational standards and preparing companies to meet the demands of the oil and gas sector, as well as other areas of the national economy.
‘The promotion of gender equality in training initiatives is a fundamental pillar of TotalEnergies’ local content strategy.”
These efforts were complemented by two business boot camps — one in Maputo and the other in Pemba — which trained 126 young entrepreneurs aged between 18 and 35 in areas such as financial management, business plan development and digitalisation.
In the logistics sector, 97 young people from Palma completed a heavy vehicle driving course, a direct response to market needs and an effective route to local employability. ‘Some of these young people are already working in companies in the region, which demonstrates the practical impact of our training activities,’ he added.
Including women in technical areas
Promoting gender equality in training initiatives is a key pillar of the project’s Local Content strategy. In 2024, 42% of trainees under the partnership with IFPELAC were women — a remarkable improvement on historical patterns of female under-representation in technical fields.
‘We want to go further. Our goal is not only to train more women, but also to promote role models who can inspire others to follow in their footsteps,’ said Edna Simbine. ’It’s about breaking down stigmas and creating a more inclusive and equitable environment.’
Activities focus on practical training in areas in high demand in the local market
Ambitious goals and strategic alliances
For the current year, the Mozambique LNG project has set clear and ambitious goals. TotalEnergies aims to train at least 2,500 young people by 2027, in collaboration with IFPELAC, while expanding the training areas to new emerging sectors.
On the business side, support is planned for 50 more SMEs, and it is hoped that some of these companies will be able to benefit from international certifications such as ISO 9001, which are essential for increasing the competitiveness and sustainability of Mozambican companies. Another area of intervention will be the strengthening of partnerships, both between Mozambican companies and between national and international entities, with a view to sharing technology, knowledge and good practices.
‘What we want is to maximise the impact of local content, promoting a more robust economy, with greater absorption of skilled labour and the capacity to generate internal value,’ Edna stressed.
Long-term sustainability
According to Edna SImbine, the sustainability of the initiatives is based on close cooperation with local, national and international institutions. The memorandum of understanding signed with the Mozambican government and IFPELAC in 2022 reflects this long-term commitment.
‘Together with our partners, we are laying the foundations for a future in which Mozambicans will be active protagonists in the country’s economic development, both within and outside the gas sector,’ concluded Edna Simbine.
Text: M4D • Photo: D.R
