Mozambique: INTRODUCTION

This introductory research paper provides a socio-economic profile of Mozambique, detailing its transition from a period of rapid post-civil war growth (1993-2015) to a more recent period of economic slowdown and structural challenges. It highlights the country's extreme poverty, high inequality, and the risks and opportunities associated with its extractive industries.

• Between 1993 and 2015, Mozambique was one of Africa's fastest-growing economies with an average annual growth rate of approximately 8%, driven by post-war reconstruction, political stability, and foreign investment in extractive industries. This period saw significant social improvements, including a rise in life expectancy from about 53 years in the early 1990s to around 64 years by the early 2020s, and an increase in electricity coverage from 3.7% in 1998 to roughly 36% by 2023.
• Despite historical growth, Mozambique has failed to achieve meaningful structural transformation because growth was led by capital-intensive extractive industries with few links to the broader economy. The agricultural sector, which employs most of the population, remains characterized by low productivity and high vulnerability to climate change and weather shocks.
• Mozambique faces severe economic hardship and inequality. In 2024, GDP per capita was estimated at US$1,495 (PPP) or US$529 at market exchange rates. As of 2023, approximately 81% of the population lived below the international extreme poverty line of US$3 per day. Wealth is highly concentrated, with the top 10% of the population holding about 72% of the country's wealth, while the bottom 50% hold only around 2% of national income.
• Economic growth slowed to an average of 2.9% between 2016 and 2024, impacted by the 'hidden debt' scandal, the COVID-19 pandemic, recurring tropical cyclones, and an insurgency in northern Mozambique. While there are expectations that gas megaprojects in the north will improve the economic trajectory, the document notes that resource extraction in Africa has often exacerbated governance challenges and economic distortions.

APA

Yeboua, K., & Chipanda, B. (2026). Mozambique: INTRODUCTION. Institute for Security Studies. https://futures.issafrica.org/geographic/guide.pdf?geography=MZ&topic=01-intro

Chicago

Yeboua, Kouassi, and Blessing Chipanda. Mozambique: INTRODUCTION. Institute for Security Studies, 2026. https://futures.issafrica.org/geographic/guide.pdf?geography=MZ&topic=01-intro.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Yeboua |first1=Kouassi |last2=Chipanda |first2=Blessing |title=Mozambique: INTRODUCTION |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=31 May 2026 |url=https://futures.issafrica.org/geographic/guide.pdf?geography=MZ&topic=01-intro |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{yeboua2026mozambique, author = {Yeboua, Kouassi and Chipanda, Blessing}, title = {{Mozambique: INTRODUCTION}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2026}, month = may, url = {https://futures.issafrica.org/geographic/guide.pdf?geography=MZ&topic=01-intro}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }