Mozambique’s third Census of Enterprises 2025-26 counted 140,807 entities, a 76% increase from the approximately 80,000 recorded in the previous census in 2014-15, the National Statistics Institute (INE) announced on Tuesday.
“This census recorded a total of 140,807 entities,” said the project’s national coordinator, Geraldo Adriano Timbe, in Maputo, during the presentation of the results of the Third Census of Enterprises (CEMPRE 2025-2026), an operation that updated the picture of the formal business sector and non-profit institutions across the country.
According to the INE, this is the third statistical operation of this kind carried out in Mozambique, following the 2002-2003 and 2014-2015 editions. Among other innovations, it incorporated the georeferencing of entities and the collection of information on access to financial services, social inclusion and gender in business management.
The operation took place between September 2025 and May 2026 and identified 121,713 active companies and establishments, responsible for more than one million jobs.
According to the results presented, the entities counted employ 1,026,940 people, with Maputo city accounting for 28.8% of registered entities and 36.2% of people employed, maintaining its position as the country’s main business hub.
By contrast, Niassa province has the lowest concentration of entities, accounting for 2.9% of the total and 1.8% of people employed.
For the coordinator of CEMPRE 2025-2026, the results reflect significant developments in Mozambique’s business landscape and should help improve knowledge of the market and support investment decisions.
“Census data benefit various sectors, including business owners themselves. They will get to know the market, understand the distribution of activities across the country and identify areas with opportunities,” Geraldo Timbe said.
He added that the data would provide the government with more robust information for formulating public policies and monitoring developments in economic activity.
“We can also respond to some indicators linked to the Sustainable Development Goals. These data will provide researchers and academics with a more up-to-date database on the business landscape for research,” he added.
The data also show that wholesale and retail trade, including the repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, remains the main economic activity, accounting for 54.3% of registered entities.
In terms of size, micro-enterprises account for 64.5% of the national business landscape, while large enterprises represent 1.5% of all entities counted.
Conducted every ten years in accordance with international recommendations, the Census of Enterprises aims to update the national business register and provide information for public policy formulation, economic planning and monitoring Mozambique’s development commitments at regional and international level.
