The Mozambican Government issued today the first 19 licenses to digital operators, out of a total of 170 companies currently under review, a measure aimed at strengthening cybersecurity and the regulation of the technological ecosystem in the country.
“Digital transformation is one of the main drivers of economic growth, innovation, and social inclusion. However, its success depends on the existence of a legal and institutional framework capable of ensuring the protection of citizens, the credibility of digital services, and the accountability of its stakeholders,” said the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Communications and Digital Transformation, Nilsa Miquidade.
According to the official, quoted in a statement from the ministry, issuing licenses to intermediary electronic service providers and digital platform operators is an “important milestone” for strengthening trust, security, and transparency within Mozambique’s digital environment, marking a new stage in the regulation of the country’s digital economy.
“The process aims not only to strengthen cybersecurity but also to create conditions for fairer and more organized competition among different players in the digital economy,” the statement noted, adding that the initiative stems from the implementation of the Electronic Transactions Law and regulations that establish mechanisms for the registration, supervision, and licensing of operators acting in the digital space.
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At least 170 companies are registered in the system of the National Institute of Information and Communication Technologies (INTIC), but only 19 have been licensed so far, with the document review and technical evaluation of the remaining firms still underway, according to the institution’s chairman, Lourino Chemane.
“We have approximately 170 registered entities, but only 19 met the necessary conditions for licensing. The process requires a rigorous verification of documentary compliance and the technical capacities of each operator,” Chemane explained.
The INTIC chairman also announced plans to expand the licensing process to new categories of operators, including data centers and cloud computing platforms.
The licensed companies, Chemane added, pay a fee equivalent to one minimum wage to obtain the license and, starting from the next fiscal year, will contribute 1% of their annual revenues.
“Our objective is for regulation to function as an incentive for formalization and investment, rather than as a barrier to business activity,” Lourino Chemane concluded.
