Cabo Delgado gas: Young people seek training and opportunities

Earlier this year, work resumed on the Mozambique LNG project natural gas exploitation platform on the Afungi Peninsula in Palma District, Cabo Delgado Province. This is just one of several large-scale natural hydrocarbon resource extraction projects being implemented in northern Mozambique. Many young people interviewed by DW África consider that, in recent times, opportunities have opened up, both for technical training specific to the oil and gas sector and for integration into the labour market.

Mane Jabu, a young resident of Pemba, the capital of Cabo Delgado, is not employed in these projects. Nonetheless, he says it is with satisfaction that he observes a greater opening for young people to take up work on megaprojects, unlike in previous years. “This time it has been very different, because I have seen many young people leave for there [Palma], carpenters and electricians in particular.

If this pace of opening up employment opportunities for young people continues for at least another year, our lives would be different. Young people are being included,” said the young Pemba resident. Jabu, who hopes to one day join the group of new recruits in Palma, believes that inclusion in employment opportunities on the megaprojects could stimulate community development: “Inclusion will benefit our province, because with more young people employed, we will have lower unemployment, which represents a success for Cabo Delgado and for the entire country.

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Recently, 38 scholarships for higher and technical-professional education were awarded to young people from the province by the Personal and Academic Empowerment Programme (PEPA), an initiative funded by the Rovuma LNG project through ExxonMobil Mozambique. Igor Camilo received a scholarship to study geological engineering. For him, the goal is clear: Camilo wants to take part in the extraction of energy resources in his province.

“I came to gain knowledge and learn more about how I can participate in oil export and many other minerals,” he said. The initiative is seen by the government as a decisive step towards economic empowerment and preparing the local workforce for the various resource extraction projects in Cabo Delgado. Social activist Feliciano Atanásio recognises the government’s efforts to equip local youth with tools and access to megaprojects but believes there is still much to be done.

“It would not be fair to say that young people are not getting opportunities. They are, because I have seen friends and young people travelling to Palma to work on projects subcontracted by TotalEnergies. Some even work directly for TotalEnergies.

Therefore, young people in Cabo Delgado are being given opportunities,” he said. What is especially lacking, according to the activist, is opening doors for already trained young people to access higher-level positions within extractive companies. “What kind of opportunities are these young people actually given?

Are they really helping to develop their lives and those of their communities? There is no access for young people from Cabo Delgado to leadership and trusted positions, such as managers. What I think is missing is exactly this.

It is not just about sending a young person to be a carpenter or metalworker. As for leadership positions, who takes them?”

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