01 Aug Interview with Américo Muchanga, Minister of Communications and Digital Transformation, Mozambique
What are the main priorities of the government in the framework of the National Digital Transformation Strategy and how are they being implemented to ensure effective digital inclusion across the country?
We are still working on an official national digital transformation strategy, it is being developed as part of our broader socioeconomic plan but has not yet been adopted. However, we do have guiding instruments in place, the Information Society Policy and the Information Society Strategic Plan 2019–2028. These were approved and include an operational plan. This framework has been guiding our vision for digital transformation.
Even though the National Digital Transformation Strategy isn’t finalized, we already have a clear vision and defined priorities. Our first priority is to ensure that citizens are served wherever they are. That is the core principle. Citizens must be able to access public and private services without needing to travel. To achieve this, the state itself must undergo digital transformation. This involves re-engineering institutional processes and digitizing operations to eliminate paper use. We refer to this as “Zero Paper” within the government.
We’ve just launched a digital certification system with digital signatures, based on public key infrastructure. This is crucial because when a citizen interacts with the state, the first step is usually filling out and signing a paper document. Now, all official documents can be digitally signed, improving service efficiency and security. We also have interoperability built into our system, allowing different government systems to communicate and share information. Currently, if a citizen wants to renew their passport, for instance, the immigration officer has to manually re-enter all personal data already stored in the Civil Identification System. With interoperability, the officer would simply enter the national ID number and all the data would be automatically retrieved. This not only speeds up service but also reduces errors. We’re implementing this system using the X-Road platform, developed in Estonia and widely used across Europe, which facilitates system integration.
The third system we are developing is a digital identity system that replaces the traditional physical ID. This digital credential allows citizens to authenticate themselves securely online, facilitating access to services. We’re also working on a Digital Payment System. Citizens often have to pay for public services, so we need a secure, unified digital payment platform. This improves state revenue collection, reduces leakages and combats bribes and corruption by minimizing cash handling and human intervention.
The final system we’re working on, which is crucial, is the Citizen Portal. The idea is to centralize access to public services through a single online platform. Instead of thinking, “I need to go to immigration for a passport” or “I need to go to the police for a license,” citizens would simply access the Citizen Portal and apply for documents, pay fines, taxes, or request services from a single point.
These five systems form the core digital tools needed to effectively serve citizens. But we need to ensure that citizens across the country, especially in remote areas, can actually access these services. That’s where digital infrastructure comes in. We have several projects underway to expand telecommunications networks to all areas where people live. One major project is Interconnected Mozambique for All, which aims to ensure that by 2030, every Mozambican lives in a location with internet access. This means increasing both coverage and network capacity. Currently, rural areas mainly have 2G or 3G networks; we aim to expand 4G coverage and even introduce 5G in major urban centers.
However, connectivity alone isn’t enough. Some people still lack the necessary devices, phones, tablets, computers, or cannot afford access, or simply don’t know how to use the technology. That’s why we’re also investing in Community Multimedia Centers and Telecenters.
How are you working with the younger generation and with society more widely across businesses and sectors?
We’re also providing internet in schools. We are equipping educational institutions to foster early digital literacy. These initiatives help citizens understand and use digital tools. Even if someone doesn’t have a phone or internet at home, they can go to a center and receive assistance. In this way, we are building both the technological infrastructure and human capacity to ensure no one is left behind.
In the next five years, we aim to make a significant impact in education and healthcare. We already have digital transformation projects in development for both areas, aiming to improve service delivery, efficiency and quality of care and education across the country.
When we talk about improving the functioning of the health system, we’re referring not only to traditional telemedicine but also to hospital management systems, patient care systems, prescription and pharmacy management systems, essentially all the digital tools that can enhance healthcare service delivery. Today, when a patient visits a hospital, it often feels as if they’re being seen for the first time. That’s because the attending doctor typically has no access to the patient’s lifelong clinical history. Our goal is to change that by standardizing and digitizing health records.
The Digital Transformation Strategy must impact citizens by improving service quality, expanding technological infrastructure and enhancing key social sectors such as education and health. It should also support the digital economy and innovation, leveraging information and communication technologies to stimulate growth. We do have some resources available to begin this work but additional support is necessary to scale our efforts and achieve more than can do with current funding. Another crucial area is data protection and cybersecurity. The more digital systems we introduce and the more data we handle, the greater the risks. Therefore, we are also advancing several initiatives in this space, which I can elaborate on.
Since cybersecurity is essential to the digital systems you’ve outlined, could you tell us more about the current initiatives aimed at strengthening Mozambique’s digital security and protecting the data of both citizens and institutions?
As we modernize public services using digital tools, it’s essential to train all stakeholders involved in digital transformation, not just in digital skills but also in cybersecurity awareness. We are currently establishing Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs), which are specialized centers to monitor, respond to and mitigate cyber threats. We already have a national CERT, managed by the National Institute for Information and Communication Technologies and we are in the process of creating sectoral CERTs for critical areas such as telecommunications and banking.
On the policy side, we have a National Cybersecurity Strategy and are actively working on developing institutions and securing digital infrastructure. We’ve already mapped the country’s critical infrastructures, which require the highest level of protection due to the impact a breach could have on society.
Mozambique is a signatory of the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime. As part of our commitments, we’re drafting specific legislation to combat cybercrime. While our penal code already includes some references to digital crimes, it lacks a dedicated cybercrime law. This new law is now being prepared and will soon be presented to the Council of Ministers for discussion, after which it will go to the National Assembly for adoption. Our goal is to pass the law by the end of this year and begin implementation shortly thereafter.Additionally, our national cybersecurity center, established in 2023, is now operational. The focus now is on strengthening these institutions and training their staff to build greater national capacity in digital security.
The digital communications and technology sector is drawing increased interest from international investors. How is the government encouraging private investment and strategic partnerships to accelerate Mozambique’s digital modernization and what opportunities exist specifically for North American investors?
The government believes it cannot and should not try to do everything on its own. The private sector is essential to our digital transformation process. Fortunately, many sectors related to ICT are already liberalized. In telecommunications, for example, we currently have three operators and virtually all internet service providers are privately owned. The same goes for data centers, which are largely developed and operated by private entities.
Our approach is multi-stakeholder and complementary: the government builds what it must and where the private sector has capacity, we leverage it. For instance, instead of the government building its own data centers, which could become obsolete in a few years, we prefer to collaborate with or contract private companies that already have the technology and expertise.
The digital systems I mentioned earlier, such as the digital signature platform, interoperability system, citizen portal and tax service platforms, are areas where private companies can implement solutions for the state. The government shouldn’t be the sole implementer; we need private sector partners to invest and deliver.
The expansion of telecommunications networks is another example. While the government may finance certain social projects, most of this expansion will be carried out by private telecom operators. We want to promote commercial opportunities wherever they exist, allowing private companies to invest and grow. To support this, we are working with the US-Mozambique trade office to host a webinar on July 30th. This event will bring together American and Mozambican companies to highlight investment opportunities in Mozambique’s digital sector.
We know that American companies possess the full range of skills we are looking for. The US leads globally in many of the platforms we hope to deploy, especially in cloud services, where we aim to develop a sovereign cloud. American firms are leaders in this space and we hope they will see Mozambique as a strategic partner. We are ready and eager to welcome US investment in our digital modernization efforts and we see vast potential for mutually beneficial partnerships. Furthermore, even when resources are available, we may lack certain technical competencies which is why we also want American companies to form partnerships with Mozambican companies.
There’s a vision currently being promoted, originally during the Trump administration, of shifting from a donor-aid model to a trade-based approach. We believe this is the right direction. Instead of donations, the US can provide services through its companies, who in turn are paid. This model promotes economic development and strengthens local private sector capacity. We already collaborate with private companies from other regions. For example, we’re implementing the Digital Flagship Africa project, funded by the Italian government under the Mattei Plan. We also have projects with the European Union, including the VAMUS initiative, involving European private firms. The private sector clearly has a crucial role to play.
We also seek a stronger partnership with American private companies. Many of the platforms and devices we already use — like Apple computers or others from Dell and HP — are from US firms. Many of our software applications are American too. There’s so much more potential for collaboration.
What are the Ministry’s plans to update the communications sector’s regulatory framework to keep up with market changes and ensure healthy competition?
Fortunately, Mozambique began liberalizing its economy a long time ago, not just in digital transformation, but across many sectors. In telecommunications specifically, liberalization began in 1999, with the adoption of the first law that opened the market.
Since then, the government has developed regulatory instruments to regulate the market but also to attract private sector participation and ensure fair competition. For example, Mozambique was the first country in Africa to open the door to the Starlink program. Today, we have more Starlink stations and 40 operational hubs than anywhere else on the continent, testament to the openness and demand in our market.
Our regulatory environment is fully liberalized and this is what enables us to attract investment in key areas like data infrastructure, data centers, broadband expansion, cybersecurity, cloud computing and digital governance. We also offer fiscal incentives to encourage investment.
Can Mozambique position itself as a regional hub, not only in transport but also in communications? Given your geography, you’re well-placed between Asia, the Americas and Africa.
Mozambique is strategically located. To the west, we neighbor countries like South Africa, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Zambia and even the Democratic Republic of Congo. Most of these countries depend on Mozambique for maritime access. This gives Mozambique a natural role in logistics and transport, but also in telecommunications. Several fiber optic landing stations are located on our coast. Neighboring countries like Malawi and Zambia connect to international cables through Mozambique. For example, we’re currently developing a project to connect Malawi to global fiber optic networks via the Port of Nacala. Another ongoing project aims to lay fiber optics from the Indian Ocean in Mozambique to Angola, crossing landlocked countries along the way.
Mozambique already provides connectivity for the region, but we want to go further. Our goal is to host large data centers that serve not only Mozambique but the entire Southern African region. If someone in Manaus wants to access content from Google or an AI platform, they shouldn’t have to connect through the US. The data can be hosted here, closer to the user, reducing latency and cost. This is part of our vision and we want to implement it in partnership with the private sector.
Mozambique also has a key advantage: clean and affordable energy. While countries like South Africa face energy shortages, Mozambique has the capacity to power data centers and other energy-intensive services. We’re even working with an American company that’s planning to establish cryptocurrency mining operations in Mozambique, specifically because we have the necessary energy resources. This not only allows us to host digital infrastructure but also to serve landlocked countries through our networks and clean power.
Would you like to add any final thoughts or send a message to the readers of USA Today, particularly to potential investors?
I’d like to share a message with USA Today readers. Digital transformation is an inevitable journey, one that must involve all segments of Mozambican society: men, women, adults, youth and children from all walks of life. This is the foundation of our vision. Our youth play a critical role in driving digital transformation. They are a source of innovation, creativity and engagement when it comes to technology. I want to invite innovative American entrepreneurs and companies to invest in Mozambique. We are a young nation of 34 million people and in 20 years, we’ll be nearly 60 million. That’s a large, dynamic market with tremendous opportunity.
We believe that with collaboration from US businesses and the US government, we can transform Mozambique into a stable and prosperous country, a country that contributes meaningfully to global economic growth. Thank you to USA Today for helping to highlight Mozambique’s potential. This country has much to offer and together, we can overcome the challenges of today.