• Mozambican government and Huawei considering the construction of a local mobile phone factory catered to rural needs

• Special features for rural applicability and financial accessibility form the crux of this initiative

The rural areas of Mozambique, home to over 60% of the nation's populace, indicate restrained connectivity adoption, with the country's internet penetration rate hovering around 20%. The government of Mozambique is in discussions with Huawei to construct a regional mobile phone factory, primarily designed to cater to the requirements of these rural areas.

Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Maria Manso, broached this possibility during her recent visit to the Chinese technology company's headquarters in Beijing. However, precise details are yet to be revealed about the specific characteristics making these phones apt for rural conditions. Key considerations include a robust battery life, durability under challenging circumstances, simplified operations, and compatibility with basic networks often found in these regions. The affordability of these devices will also be instrumental.

According to the 'Mobile Connectivity Index' released by GSMA (the global association of mobile phone operators), in 2024, Mozambique scored 30.1 out of 100 in terms of the affordability of mobile phones. In terms of the cost of the basic or least expensive internet-compatible smartphone, the country scored 41.9 out of 100. This drops to 18.3 out of 100 when focusing on the poorest 40% of the population.

As per the statistics analysed by GSMA, Mozambique has a population of 35.35 million, out of which 61% live in rural communities. The African Development Bank reports that poverty remains high in the country, estimated at 74.5% in 2023, with approximately 24 million people living in poverty.

It’s worth noting that the Mozambican government aspires to grant universal internet access by 2030. Nevertheless, GSMA considers the affordability of smartphones or connectable devices to be one of the primary hurdles to achieving this. For instance, data provided by DataReportal highlighted that in early 2025, the country recorded 6.96 million internet subscriptions, indicating a penetration rate of 19.8%. Mobile phone subscriptions were estimated at 17.7 million, with a penetration rate of 50.4%.

This project is still in the planning stages, with no additional information given about the formalization of the partnership or the commencement of production. It also remains to be seen whether the venture will involve the manufacturing of phones specifically designed for the Mozambican scenario or simply an assembly site for models already produced by Huawei.

This article was initially published in French by Isaac K. Kassouwi

Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho