Women-led companies represent 52% of firms from Cabo Delgado registered in LINKAR, a programme created by Empresa Nacional de Hidrocarbonetos (ENH) to prepare and integrate Mozambican businesses into the oil and gas industry value chain.
The figure was presented on Wednesday in Maputo by Rudêncio Morais, Chairman of ENH’s Board of Directors, during the 4th edition of the Women in the Economy Conference, organised by the Fundação para o Desenvolvimento da Comunidade (FDC).
According to Morais, LINKAR, launched in 2023, currently has approximately 270 registered companies nationwide. Of this total, 79 companies — equivalent to 30% — are owned by women. In Cabo Delgado, female-led company representation reaches 52%, while in Inhambane the figure approaches 50%.
Morais explained that the programme aims to strengthen the capacity of the national private sector to meet demand for goods, services, and skills generated by the oil and gas industry. The initiative also incorporates a female economic empowerment component, seeking to facilitate Mozambican businesswomen’s access to opportunities created by the development of the extractive sector.
In the area of business formalisation, LINKAR has supported the legalisation of approximately 118 companies in the provinces of Cabo Delgado and Inhambane. Of these, around 40 — equivalent to 34% — are led by women.
Female participation also extends to the ISO 9001 certification process. Of the 28 companies covered by this component, six are owned by women. According to Morais, some of the companies contracted to provide technical assistance to the programme are also led by women, demonstrating that female inclusion is present at different stages of the initiative — from formalisation and business capacity-building through to certification and the provision of specialist services.
Morais stated that the promotion of female participation is embedded in ENH’s local content strategy, which is designed to ensure that growth in the oil and gas industry translates into concrete opportunities for Mozambicans.
Despite the progress made, Morais acknowledged that women’s presence in the sector remains below desirable levels. “We recognise that female participation is below what we would like,” he said, adding that initiatives are under way to increase the number of girls and women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields.
“Every family that has access to piped gas represents one less girl who has to go out to collect firewood,” Morais said.
In his address, the ENH chairman argued that female inclusion should not be limited to women holding management positions, but must be accompanied by training and capacity-building that enable women to compete for the best professional opportunities. “It is about choosing the best for the best positions. And when that moment comes, if the best person is a woman, we should have no remorse, no hesitation in saying that she is the one who should lead,” he declared.
Morais noted that ENH has women at various levels of responsibility, including supervisory, directorial, and board positions. Among the examples he cited was Alegria Costa, the executive director responsible for administration, finance, and human capital, as well as the company’s non-executive director and the head of the exploration and production division — one of ENH’s core business areas.
The ENH chairman also called for greater coordination among operators, academic institutions, the regulator, and other entities involved in the oil and gas industry.
In his view, operators should communicate in advance the professional profiles, competencies, and services they will require, making it possible to align training and business capacity-building with concrete contracting opportunities. He explained that such forward planning would allow training to be delivered within Mozambique and meet the sector’s needs in a timely manner.
Morais linked this approach to forthcoming local content legislation, arguing that companies should be required to submit procurement plans for goods and services, as well as plans for the integration of national technicians and professionals.
For the ENH chairman, women’s participation in the industry should not be confined to peripheral activities. He advocated for women to be prepared to work in engineering, mechanics, science, and hydrocarbon production.
Morais also highlighted the relationship between energy access and girls’ school attendance. As an example, he referenced the piped gas distribution programme in Inhassoro, Govuro, and Vilankulo, arguing that household access to this energy source reduces the need for girls to travel long distances to collect firewood, thereby supporting continuity of education.
Morais further noted that ENH has distributed more than 2,500 menstrual cups in Cabo Delgado — an initiative that, in his view, contributes to creating better conditions for girls and women to remain engaged in educational, professional, and economic activities.
The 4th Women in the Economy Conference brought together representatives from government, the private sector, academia, civil society, and institutions linked to energy, technology, and development. The event addressed topics including training, leadership, and women’s participation in strategic sectors of the economy, covering access to skilled employment, value chains, contracts, and decision-making positions.
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/?p=527831
