Communication - Presse
CFAO Mobility Breaks Ground on New Toyota Headquarters in Maputo with a $10 Million Investment
The decision was communicated to the Mozambican Government on Thursday, 23 October, according to Zitamar News, and formalised through an official protocol letter whose receipt was acknowledged by the authorities. Diário Económico has contacted government and TotalEnergies sources who confirmed the agreement and the green light for the roll-back of the declaration.
The restart follows a direct understanding between President Daniel Chapo and TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanné regarding the fiscal treatment of additional costs incurred during the shutdown — estimated by authorities at around USD 4.5 billion since April 2021. These costs are expected to be partially offset in the future tax calculations of the project.
Although the original reason for the suspension — insecurity arising from armed insurgency in Cabo Delgado — has not posed a decisive barrier to resumption for some time, the security situation on the ground remains sensitive and under constant monitoring by defence forces.
According to Zitamar News, the lifting of force majeure will also require the approval of an addendum to the project’s Development Plan by the Council of Ministers, reflecting the newly agreed terms. Diário Económico awaits further comments from the Executive on the technical content of that addendum.
Even while the force majeure status formally remained in place, mobilisation efforts had been intensifying throughout 2025. Defence Minister Cristóvão Chume stated this week that around 4,000 workers are currently on site in Afungi, engaged in rehabilitation works and reinforced security.
Meanwhile, ExxonMobil is moving ahead with the construction of a new 5,000-worker camp for the neighbouring Rovuma LNG project — whose Final Investment Decision (FID) remains tied to the progress of TotalEnergies’ development.
Government sources confirmed to Diário Económico that President Daniel Chapo is expected to travel in the coming days to Washington and Houston for high-level meetings with operators and financiers in the gas sector, where the Cabo Delgado LNG projects figure as a top priority.
With an investment exceeding USD 20 billion approved in 2019 (at the time led by U.S. operator Anadarko), Mozambique LNG remains the largest private investment project in the country’s history and one of the most strategic assets in TotalEnergies’ global portfolio.
The French energy giant currently anticipates first production in 2029, while consultancy Oxford Economics projects that Rovuma LNG could begin operations in 2031 — positioning Mozambique as one of the world’s major LNG exporters in the next decade.