First Mozambican smartphone factory is born in Beluluane Park

In a step regarded as historic by the authorities and the private sector, Mozambique is preparing to enter the regional map of technology production, with the setting up of its first mobile phone factory, in a 3 million dollar investment led by the company Moz-Sure, majority Mozambican-owned.

The industrial unit will be built in the Beluluane Industrial Park, in Matola, on the outskirts of Maputo, and is a bet on reducing import dependence, combating counterfeit equipment, generating skilled jobs and repositioning the country economically and technologically.

The symbolic foundation-stone ceremony was chaired by the Minister of Communications and Digital Transformation, Américo Muchanga, who highlighted the strategic importance of the project for national industrialisation. “This is an embryo not only of technology but also of innovation”, the minister declared, assuring that the factory represents a clear step towards economic independence and the valuing of local raw materials.

According to Francisco Chate, representative of Moz-Sure, the project will be carried out in successive phases: in a first stage, it will be dedicated to the production of mobile phones; in later phases, the factory is expected to move on to the assembly of laptops and other electronic devices.

The company expects that domestic production will reduce mobile phone import needs by about 14% a year. In parallel, a decline in the use of counterfeit devices is expected, which, according to Moz-Sure, pose risks to consumers' health and economic losses for the State, owing to lost tax revenue.

With a commitment to sustainable practices and the “Made in Mozambique” label, Moz-Sure also intends to foster technology transfer and the strengthening of local industry, while positioning itself as a regional benchmark.

The managing director of MozParks, Onório Manuel, described the project as “a historic moment”, saying that the initiative drives industrialisation, stimulates job creation and paves the way for Mozambique to become a regional technology hub.