Mozambique’s corporate landscape has grown by 76% over the past decade, expanding from approximately 80,000 entities recorded in 2014–15 to 140,807 in the third National Business Census (CEMPRE 2025-2026), according to data released on Tuesday (27) by the National Statistics Institute (INE).

Of the entities surveyed, 121,713 correspond to active companies and establishments. In total, the identified entities employ 1,026,940 people, underscoring the scale of the formal business sector and non-profit institutions within the national economy, according to results presented in Maputo.

“This census recorded a total of 140,807 entities,” said Geraldo Adriano Timbe, the project’s national coordinator, during the presentation of results from the statistical operation, which was conducted between September 2025 and May 2026.

According to INE, the city of Maputo remains the country’s primary centre of business activity, concentrating 28.8% of registered entities and 36.2% of employed persons. By contrast, Niassa province records the lowest business density, accounting for just 2.9% of entities and 1.8% of identified workers.

The data also show that wholesale and retail trade — including the repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles — remains the dominant economic activity, representing 54.3% of the entities surveyed. In terms of company size, microenterprises account for 64.5% of the national business base, while large enterprises represent only 1.5% of the total, reflecting the predominance of small businesses in Mozambique’s economic structure.

During the presentation, Geraldo Timbe explained that the results will enable a better understanding of the territorial distribution of economic activities, identify investment opportunities, and support the formulation of public policy. “The census data benefit various sectors, including businesses themselves. Entrepreneurs will be able to understand the market, know how activities are distributed at a territorial level, and identify areas with opportunities,” he said.

Timbe added that the information collected will also be valuable for researchers, academics, and public institutions, particularly in monitoring economic indicators and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). “We can also respond to certain indicators linked to the Sustainable Development Goals. This data will allow researchers and academics to have a more up-to-date database on the business landscape for their research,” he emphasised.

CEMPRE 2025-2026 is the third statistical operation of its kind to be conducted in Mozambique, following previous editions in 2002–2003 and 2014–2015. The most recent edition introduced new data-collection components, including the georeferencing of entities, access to financial services, social inclusion, and women’s participation in business management.

Conducted approximately every ten years, the census aims to update the national business register and provide statistical information for economic planning, public policy design, and assessment of the evolution of the business sector.

Despite the 76% increase in the number of entities recorded, the results presented do not, on their own, make it possible to determine how many new companies were effectively created during the period, as the variation reflects a comparison between two censuses conducted at different points in time.