Maputo, 13 Nov (AIM) – Mozambique’s publicly-owned National Hydrocarbon Company (ENH) and the South African petrochemical giant Sasol plan to develop an infrastructure aimed at transporting natural gas from the Rovuma Basin, in the northern province of Cabo Delgado, to consumer markets in the central and southern provinces.
On the sidelines of the Africa Gas & LNG Summit 2026, the two companies signed a memorandum of understanding in order to advance the project, as part of partnerships and the development of Africa’s gas industry.
The project aims to expand access to domestic gas, reduce regional energy disparities and maximize the benefits of natural gas projects in the Rovuma Basin through a combination of offshore and onshore infrastructure.
ENH’s Director of New Business, Rijcard Manuel, said the initiative seeks to address the shortage of infrastructure in northern Mozambique, which currently limits the transportation of gas from production areas to the country’s main consumption centres.
“One of the major challenges we face is the lack of infrastructure in the northern part of the country to transport gas from production areas, specifically the Rovuma Basin, to the main consumption centres”, he said.
The project envisages the use of a Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU), to be anchored off Inhassoro, southern province of Inhambane. Gas from the Rovuma Basin would be transported to the facility and then distributed to different destinations, including Beira by ship and Inhassoro through an approximately 135-kilometre pipeline connecting to major consumption corridors in the south.
Manuel explained that the project would benefit from Sasol’s technical and operational experience in Mozambique, where the South African company has been producing gas from the Pande and Temane fields since 2004. Its contribution is expected to include technical assistance and specialized personnel during the project development phase.
The next steps will include feasibility studies, environmental and social impact assessments, and engineering work.
Manuel added that the partnership would enable ENH to draw on Sasol’s longstanding experience in Mozambique and support a new phase in the development of the country’s natural gas industry.
He described the agreement as strategically important for maximizing the benefits of the Rovuma Basin projects and ensuring that domestically produced gas also serves the local market and different sectors of the economy.
(AIM)
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