Mozambique plans US$2.8 billion road programme, with work to begin in 2027

Mozambique plans to begin work on more than 3,000 kilometres of roads in the first quarter of 2027 under its five-year “Mais Estradas – 2031” programme, valued at approximately US$2.8 billion.

The programme aims to improve the national road network and strengthen connections between provinces, districts, production centres and key development corridors, according to transport minister João Matlombe, whose remarks were cited by the Portuguese news agency Lusa.

Public tenders have already been launched, and bids are being evaluated ahead of contract awards. Once these procedures are completed, the government expects contractors to mobilise for work at locations across the country during the first three months of 2027.

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Matlombe said road management needed to move beyond interventions undertaken only when deterioration reaches critical levels. He stressed the importance of preventive maintenance, construction quality, compliance with contractual deadlines and effective supervision.

The minister also highlighted the restructuring of the National Roads Administration (ANE) and the reorganisation of the Road Fund. These reforms are intended to improve institutional coordination, clarify responsibilities and ensure more efficient use of funding for the road network, Lusa said.

Mozambique road programme: rehabilitating highways

Separately, ANE plans to select a concessionaire in 2027 for nearly 200 kilometres of national roads in Maputo province. The routes cover the N4 between Maputo and the Ressano Garcia border crossing, the N2 linking Matola, Boane and Namaacha, and the N3 between Impaputo, Goba and the border with Eswatini.

According to Lusa, the government is also seeking private investment to rehabilitate the N1, an approximately 2,600-kilometre highway linking the capital, Maputo, to Pemba in the northern province of Cabo Delgado. The road was severely damaged by rains during the 2025–2026 season.

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Chinese contractors have built and rehabilitated major roads in Mozambique over the years, including the Maputo Ring Road, delivered by China Road and Bridge Corporation, and the N6 highway linking Beira to the Zimbabwean border, upgraded by China State Construction Engineering Corporation. 

That established presence could provide a foundation for further involvement as Mozambique moves ahead with its next round of road investment.