Mozambican President Daniel Chapo has called for the revival of TotalEnergies’ $20 billion gas project in the country’s northern Cabo Delgado province, stressing that while the security situation has improved, it’s still not entirely stable. He emphasized that restarting the project will require collective efforts from the government, private partners, and regional allies.
TotalEnergies halted construction and evacuated staff in 2021 due to increased attacks from insurgents linked to the Islamic State, prompting a declaration of force majeure. The project is considered a major pillar of Mozambique’s future economic growth, but progress has been stalled for years.
President Chapo, speaking in an interview in Seville, Spain, acknowledged that the current level of calm in Cabo Delgado is better than it has been in the past four years. However, he cautioned that stability cannot be guaranteed by the government alone and that waiting for “perfect peace” would delay the project indefinitely.
He pointed out that the project will take another four years to complete once resumed and is critical for developing Mozambique’s vast gas reserves. So far, only a floating LNG facility operated by Eni has started production. A final decision on ExxonMobil’s $27 billion Rovuma LNG project is expected next year.
Mozambique had initially hired foreign mercenaries to tackle the insurgency, but the approach failed. The arrival of Rwandan forces has since brought some security improvements. The European Union has also supported Rwanda’s efforts with additional funding, although the long-term arrangement remains unclear.
While Total’s operations in the region are still on pause, the company continues design and engineering work. According to CEO Patrick Pouyanné, production could begin by 2029 if conditions permit. Meanwhile, financing efforts have continued, with the U.S. Export-Import Bank recently approving a $4.7 billion loan for the project.
President Chapo said Mozambique is considering different ways to maintain security, though he admitted no solution is foolproof. He remains hopeful that TotalEnergies will resume full operations once the environment is deemed safe enough but declined to offer a specific timeline.
