Millennium bim, as a leading bank in Mozambique, reaffirms its purpose of supporting the Mozambican economy and invites companies to make full use of the financing opportunities available as a lever for creating value and ensuring sustainable growth.
At the 20th Annual Private Sector Conference (CASP 2025), during Panel 9, dedicated to Financing Options for the Private Sector, Millennium bim's Executive Director for Corporate and Investment Banking, Januário Valente, highlighted the Bank's commitment to business development in Mozambique. He also stressed that companies' preparation is decisive if financial support is to translate into real growth.
According to Januário Valente, “for banks to be an effective partner, it is essential that companies are well organised and show robust management. Organised accounting, corporate governance and succession plans are factors that strengthen credibility and make it easier to obtain financing. Millennium bim is fully available to establish partnerships that bring impact and contribute to the country's sustainable growth.”
The Director further stressed that commercial banking should be seen as an ally in the development of companies, highlighting the importance of transparent and structured relationships between the parties.
At the same conference, Millennium bim formalised a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Mozambique Guarantee Company (SGM). Through innovative risk-sharing mechanisms, this instrument enables the Bank to strengthen its support for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), allowing more entrepreneurs to turn their ideas into sustainable businesses.
Millennium bim's accession to the Mutual Guarantee Fund boosts national entrepreneurship
Millennium bim and the Mozambique Guarantee Company (SGM) signed, on 12 November in Maputo, a Memorandum of Understanding marking the Bank's official entry into the Mutual Guarantee Fund, an innovative mechanism created to boost access to credit for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). This agreement, announced during CASP 2025, took place in the presence of the President of the Republic, Daniel Chapo, reinforcing the joint commitment of the public and private sectors to strengthening the national economy.
The agreement was signed by Rui Pedro, Chairman of the Executive Committee of Millennium bim, and Beatriz Freitas, Chair of the Board of Directors of SGM.
Created by the Government of Mozambique, with financial support from the World Bank worth around 40 million dollars, the Mutual Guarantee Fund aims to share credit risk between the State, banks and financial partners, enabling companies with viable projects but insufficient collateral to obtain financing on more favourable terms.
In its initial phase, this transformative mechanism is expected to benefit more than 15,000 MSMEs, many of them led by young people and women entrepreneurs, creating opportunities for access to credit on more favourable and sustainable terms.
“Millennium bim is committed to supporting the development of the Mozambican business sector. We believe that this fund will allow many micro, small and medium-sized enterprises to turn ideas into sustainable businesses, creating jobs and energising the national economy. For us, supporting Mozambican entrepreneurs means supporting the country's future,” said Rui Pedro, Chairman of the bank's Executive Committee.
This accession represents another milestone in the Bank's strategy of supporting MSMEs and economic innovation, in a particularly symbolic year in which it celebrates 30 years of operation in Mozambique, three decades of trust, closeness and commitment to the country's future.
With its participation in CASP 2025 and its entry into the Mutual Guarantee Fund, Millennium bim renews its commitment to the country's economic growth, promoting financial inclusion, encouraging entrepreneurship and strengthening trust between the banking sector and the Mozambican business community.
