Mozambique: Small business entrepreneurs protest against “high fees” at Maputo airport – report

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Mozambique: Small business entrepreneurs protest against “high fees” at Maputo airport – report

1:03 CAT | 01 Jul 2025

Screen grab: LiveNews48

More than 50 entrepreneurs held a protest yesterday at the international passenger terminal at Maputo airport against an alleged increase in fees for unloading goods.

“The amount [charged] is too high and ends up not being worth it for the type of business we carry out, [selling] clothes (…). We practically don’t know whether to continue doing business or not,” Eduarda Fernandes, one of the members of the group of entrepreneurs at the airport this Monday morning told Lusa.

Videos sent to Lusa show the group of entrepreneurs asking for “help” inside Maputo International Airport, also holding up protest signs and preventing passengers from leaving.

“At some point we stopped passengers from leaving Qatar, the airline we use the most, and only let the crew through because we wanted to prevent all the bags, including those of all the passengers who were there, from leaving,” said the protester.

The group, which imports goods from several countries, mainly China, complains about the increase in fees for collecting bags containing goods, in addition to the fact that the luggage is transferred, upon arrival, to the cargo terminal and not the passenger terminal, as was the norm up until last week.

“Now we go to the cargo terminal and the goods disappear, then we have to pay the agent, it’s bureaucratic,” said Eduarda, pointing out that the situation has been affecting her work and the delivery times of orders to customers.

Depending on the goods transported, entrepreneurs paid up to 8,000 meticais (€107) per bag, but since last week the amount has doubled to 15,000 meticais (€200) per bag, according to Eduarda Fernandes.

“We are not going to pay this fee (…). These are small business owners, small business owners must be protected so that they can grow,” said Zebito, who was also part of the group.

“Why are they taking away the food on our children’s tables, why are they taking away our bread, so we can be left on the street?” asked another woman in the airport parking lot.

The group left the passenger terminal a little over an hour later to “talk” with the airport authorities, a process that will only be concluded on Tuesday, said Eduarda Fernandes.

“We are not finished yet. Until they give us an answer, there is no way,” she concluded.

Source: Lusa