Mozambique: Over 5,000 SMEs already covered by Conecta project

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Mozambique: Over 5,000 SMEs already covered by Conecta project

1:03 CAT | 23 Oct 2025

Image: AIM

Over 5,000 Mozambican small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have already benefited from financial support and technical training, under the “Conecta Negócios Project.”

This project, which is coordinated by the Mozambican Ministry of Finance, is budgeted at 15 million US dollars disbursed by the World Bank.

The initiative is aimed at training, funding and preparing SMEs in order to integrate them into the supply chains of large enterprises in Mozambique, with a focus on the Nacala Logistics Corridor, in the northern province of Nampula.

According to the project expert Joel Sauane, who was speaking to AIM on Wednesday during a supervision mission in Nampula, the project has already reached important milestones in its implementation.

“The training process is progressing in Nampula, Tete and Cabo Delgado provinces, which are the priorities, with the support of the Northern Integrated Development Agency (ADIN) as the project’s co-implementing entity”, he said.

Sauane explained that the training is aimed at instructing the SMEs on how to establish connections with the megaproject operators and the customers in general.

“In the first phase, SMEs receive training in business management, gender inclusion, green competitiveness, and digital skills. In the second phase, they move on to the ISO 9001 certification process, required to supply goods and services to megaprojects, and can then apply for grants”, he said.

Sauane revealed that the overall goal is to train 9,000 SMEs, of which 6,000 have already been trained. The project intends to cover 3,000 SMEs in Nampula, and so far 2,900 have been covered.

“In order to support these companies financally, 15 million dollars in grants are available, divided equally into 7.5 million for microenterprises and 7.5 million for SMEs”, he added.

Business owners from Nampula province who participate in the training programme are already feeling the benefits and report improved performance.

Hegínio Mussequece, from the construction sector, said “we learned tools focused on results. Our hope is to obtain certification that will allow us to participate in major projects underway in Nampula province and beyond. We intend to apply for the grant to leverage our business with the acquisition of equipment.”

Linda Nhalate, from the seafood industry, praised the management skills learned in the training, claiming that they “will help us implement more professional administrative procedures.”

“This will help the company grow. We hope to continue expanding and recruiting more young people as now we are hiring 12 permanent employees and 40 seasonal employees”, she added.

Scheduled for implementation until 2027, Conecta Negócios is a structuring project that aims to prepare Mozambican MSMEs to compete in more demanding markets, positioning them as strategic partners in national economic development.

Source: AIM