Maputo CITY PROFILING REPORT 2025

The Maputo metropolitan area, with a population of 2.9 million, serves as Mozambique's primary economic and political hub but faces significant challenges in service delivery and infrastructure. While the city shows economic growth and improving health indices, it is characterized by high levels of informal settlements, inadequate sanitation, and a fragmented local government system with limited functional autonomy. Key infrastructure projects like the Maputo-Katembe bridge have improved connectivity, but the region remains one of the poorest primary cities in the SADC region, with a heavy reliance on charcoal for cooking and a high prevalence of waterborne diseases among children.

• The Maputo metropolitan area had an estimated population of 2.9 million in 2024, with a growth rate of 2.4% per annum between 2017 and 2024. Maputo City itself has a population of 1.1 million.
• Informal housing is prevalent in Maputo City; 61.6% of residents lived in 'basic' housing as of 2017, and some estimates suggest 80% of the population lived in informal settlements in 2016.
• Maputo City's economy is dominated by tertiary activities, specifically commerce, finance, and administration, which together with 'other' services represent the bulk of employment. The city is responsible for approximately 20% of Mozambique's GDP.
• Local government in Mozambique is described as underdeveloped and weak in its decentralisation arrangements. While Law 12/2023 expanded municipal functions, major services like water, electricity, health, and education remain managed by national departments or parastatals.
• Water supply is managed by the public utility Águas da Região Metropolitana de Maputo (AdeM), but performance is poor, with non-revenue water at 47% and only 30% of customers receiving continuous 24/7 supply.
• Sanitation is a critical challenge; only 9% of households in the Maputo metro had a sewered sanitation system in 2018. Diarrhea is estimated to be the third leading cause of death among children aged 0-14, accounting for at least 10% of all mortality.
• While 95% of households have electricity access, there is a heavy reliance on charcoal for cooking, with 75% of households relying on it for all cooking as of 2014, contributing to deforestation and poor air quality.
• The road network is largely unpaved, with only 4.5% of the total 13,804 km of roads in the metro area being paved. The Maputo-Katembe bridge, opened in 2018, is a significant strategic development for cross-border trade.
• Public transport is dominated by informal minibus taxis known as 'chapas'. Accessibility is poor, with children in Maputo having an average walking time of 56 minutes to reach primary schools.
• Environmental indicators show a significant loss of green areas, which decreased from 14.1% in 2010 to 5.3% in 2020. Air quality (PM2.5) is 15 µg/m3, which is well above the WHO standard of 5 µg/m3.
• Municipal finance is limited and heavily dependent on transfers. In 2020, transfers represented 43% of Maputo City’s budget.

APA

Morrison, S. (2025). Maputo CITY PROFILING REPORT 2025. Good Governance Africa. https://digitalmallblobstorage.blob.core.windows.net/wp-content/2026/01/Maputo-African-Cities-Report-2025.pdf

Chicago

Morrison, Stuart. Maputo CITY PROFILING REPORT 2025. Good Governance Africa, 2025. https://digitalmallblobstorage.blob.core.windows.net/wp-content/2026/01/Maputo-African-Cities-Report-2025.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Morrison |first1=Stuart |title=Maputo CITY PROFILING REPORT 2025 |publisher=Good Governance Africa |date=2025 |url=https://digitalmallblobstorage.blob.core.windows.net/wp-content/2026/01/Maputo-African-Cities-Report-2025.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{morrison2025maputo, author = {Morrison, Stuart}, title = {{Maputo CITY PROFILING REPORT 2025}}, institution = {Good Governance Africa}, year = {2025}, url = {https://digitalmallblobstorage.blob.core.windows.net/wp-content/2026/01/Maputo-African-Cities-Report-2025.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }