• The telecom regulator INCM launched a project to install 60 new mobile stations in nine provinces through Vodacom.

• The initiative supports the government’s “Internet Para Todos” plan to achieve nationwide Internet access by 2030.

• Only 20% of rural residents currently have telecom access, compared with 80% in urban areas.

Mozambique’s communications regulator has announced a new project to expand telecom access across rural areas as part of its drive to close the country’s digital divide and achieve universal Internet coverage by 2030.

The National Communications Institute of Mozambique (INCM) said on Oct. 17 it would deploy 60 new mobile base stations across nine provinces under the Universal Access Service Fund (FSAU), in partnership with Vodacom Mozambique. The project will bring mobile and Internet services to communities that currently lack network coverage.

The rollout includes 2G and 4G network infrastructure, public Wi-Fi multimedia centers, solar-powered systems, and prepaid public phone services. Each beneficiary locality will also receive 100 mobile phones, according to the INCM statement.

“This integrated approach aims to create an inclusive digital ecosystem that facilitates access to public services, boosts local entrepreneurship, and improves education and health indicators while reducing digital inequalities,” the regulator said.

The initiative forms part of the Rural Connectivity Project and follows recent government efforts to expand digital infrastructure. While ICT penetration in urban areas reaches 80%, it remains as low as 20% in rural regions, INCM data show.

According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G networks covered 88%, 86%, 84%, and 10% of Mozambique’s 34.6 million people in 2024, without distinguishing between rural and urban coverage. The World Bank estimates that 61% of Mozambicans live in rural areas.

To address this imbalance, Maputo launched the “Internet Para Todos” initiative in March 2025, aiming to democratize Internet access nationwide by 2030. The country’s Internet penetration stood at 19.8% in 2023, compared with 78.2% for mobile telephony, ITU data show.

The government targets 80% mobile penetration, 95% national coverage, and 99% network availability. It also seeks connection speeds ranging from 100 Mbps to 1 Gbps for 5G, 10 Mbps to 100 Mbps for 4G, and 0.1 Mbps to 10 Mbps for 3G.

To reach these goals, authorities plan to attract low-orbit satellite operators, tower companies, and to extend the fiber-optic backbone nationwide.

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

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum