Mozambican companies need to improve their internal organisation, strengthen technical capacity and invest in workforce skills to meet the demands of an expanding market and capitalise on opportunities created by incoming investors. The need was underscored by business leaders and specialists at the Synapse Strategy Summit 2026, held on Thursday, 5 November.

The event brought together representatives from the private sector and subject-matter experts to discuss the challenges of strategic execution, innovation and competitiveness, against a backdrop of market transformation and new investment opportunities in Mozambique.

Allan Tomás, CEO of Huruma Connect, argued that transforming business models is essential to keep pace with market changes and identify new opportunities. In his view, even traditional sectors such as oil, gas and fuels can benefit from innovation and the adoption of new technologies.

He contended that modernising these activities can transform the relationship between consumers and products or services, helping to improve community living conditions and generate broader economic benefits.

David Chavez, executive director of Synapse, highlighted the difficulties faced by domestic companies in accessing supply opportunities with large foreign operators. Despite some Mozambican firms possessing the requisite technical capacity, he said, significant barriers to establishing commercial relationships with those operators persist.

Among the main challenges, Chavez identified compliance with regulatory standards, internal organisation and team alignment — factors he regards as essential to reinforcing business competitiveness. He also stressed the need to invest in professional development, particularly given the expansion of the oil and gas sector.

“There is also the question of finding the right person for the right sector,” he said, advocating for greater emphasis on preparing professionals capable of meeting the demands of the industry and seizing employment opportunities both within and outside the country.

Angelina Cumbe, a commodities specialist and product access manager at VillageReach, highlighted the importance of strategic execution, arguing that organisations must develop the competencies needed to translate plans into concrete results.

“When things reach the page, we are not selling a piece of paper. That paper has to become something that actually conveys the expected outcome,” said Cumbe, who works with the government and the private sector on strategies to ensure access to health products.

Cumbe further argued that the expansion of the Mozambican market, the entry of new companies and the arrival of investment represent opportunities for domestic operators — but ones that demand greater organisational capacity and preparedness. “It is time for local companies in Mozambique to be organised and ready for this new integrated global market,” she said.

The Synapse Strategy Summit 2026 is a forum dedicated to business management and strategy, bringing together executives, managers, specialists, academics and other professionals to debate the challenges of organisational growth and competitiveness.

The initiative seeks to promote reflection on companies’ capacity to execute their strategies, adapt to market transformations, identify business opportunities and create value in a sustainable manner.