Mozambique aims to become regional digital hub – minister

Mozambique’s Minister of Communications and Digital Transformation today argued that the country should capitalise on its strategic geographical location and strengthen partnerships with European countries and companies to transform Mozambique into a regional digital hub. “We are already, naturally, a gateway to Southern Africa, but digital transformation can make Mozambique a strategic gateway to the region’s and the continent’s digital economy,” Minister Américo Muchanga said during the second Mozambique–European Union Business Forum (Global Gateway), which concludes today in Maputo. Speaking during a panel entitled “Mozambique as the Indian Ocean’s digital gateway to Southern African corridors: strategies for inclusive connectivity and sustainable investment”, the minister said the country’s geographical position places it at the crossroads of the region’s main trade corridors.

Américo Muchanga also stressed that digital transformation represents an opportunity to strengthen Mozambique’s role in future global digital corridors, benefiting from the country’s energy and water resources compared with other Southern African nations, despite the challenges associated with implementing the process. “The challenge before us is not only to build infrastructure, but to build a bridge between countries, markets, people and opportunities,” he said. “That is why today’s theme is highly relevant and offers an opportunity for Mozambique not only as Southern Africa’s logistical gateway, but also as a future regional digital hub.

It is an opportunity for African integration into the global digital economy,” he added. According to Muchanga, Mozambique is not merely seeking investment but partnerships with countries, companies and institutions that can help build the future and transform the country into a regional digital hub. “We have all the necessary conditions in place; we simply need to begin implementing our projects.

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Therefore, representatives of the companies gathered here, from Mozambique and from European Union countries, should forge ties that enable the establishment of the infrastructure that will make our country a respected player and, from there, generate resources that will drive the country’s development and make our economic independence a reality,” the minister concluded. On Tuesday, at the opening of the forum, the European Union (EU) signed three new agreements with the Mozambican government in Maputo covering energy, education and digital transformation, with direct funding of €118 million. The agreements include a €40 million project on resilience and access to energy, €50 million for education, and €28 million for the development of inclusive and accessible digital services.

The event focuses on key areas for Mozambique’s economic development, including industrialisation, clean energy, transport infrastructure, digital connectivity, agribusiness and sustainable tourism. More than 1,300 entities have registered to participate in search of investment opportunities.

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