Mozambique: President suggests liberalizing trading hours to stimulate economy

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Mozambique: President suggests liberalizing trading hours to stimulate economy

2:51 CAT | 28 Jul 2025

FILE - For illustration purposes only. [File photo: Lusa]

Mozambican President Daniel Chapo has suggested scrapping limits on trading hours for commercial establishments, allowing business owners to set their own, as long as workers’ rights are safeguarded.

“This whole thing about opening at 8:00 a.m. and then closing at 8:00 p.m., we didn’t see the point. If someone thinks they want to sell until midnight, what’s the problem? If the store is theirs and their health is theirs, let them sell,” the head of state stated during a meeting with business owners in Zambézia province, in the centre of the country.

According to Daniel Chapo, the measure aims to reduce bureaucracy and facilitate the business environment, forming part of a broader set of ongoing reforms.

“Everyone can open whenever they want and close whenever they want. What we don’t want is for it to harm, for example, workers, who can’t work more than eight hours,” he emphasized.

The Mozambican president also highlighted the government’s efforts to combat corruption through the digitalization of administrative processes, aiming to reduce direct contact between citizens and public officials.

“We are investing heavily in digitalization so that we can reduce contact between people. Businesspeople can handle all their processes sitting in their offices, without having to leave, without looking for anyone,” he said at the same meeting.

The president also stressed the need to review inadequate laws as part of the strategy to improve the business environment.

“There are laws which complicate life. That example I gave, I only gave an example about roads, I would give an example from the Highway Code. If, for example, the Traffic Police seize your insurance, the Highway Code states a fine of around 12,000 meticais [€160 euros],” he said, noting that this is a high amount that then encourages attempted bribery.

Source: Lusa