• Exxon Mobil and TotalEnergies lifted force majeure on Rovuma LNG and Mozambique LNG after more than four years of suspension.

• The government is still reviewing an addendum to the Mozambique LNG development plan, including a revised budget.

• Rovuma LNG expects to reach FID in 2026 and start production in 2030.

Operations in Cabo Delgado could enter a new phase after Exxon Mobil and TotalEnergies lifted force majeure in recent weeks on their respective gas projects. The two companies had halted activity for more than four years due to insecurity in the region.

Mozambique has yet to approve the restart of the country’s two largest gas projects, Rovuma LNG and Mozambique LNG. The delay persists despite the recent announcements from the operators.

Exxon Mobil said on Thursday, November 20, 2025, that it lifted force majeure on Rovuma LNG. The company acted only weeks after TotalEnergies made a similar decision for Mozambique LNG.

The lifting of force majeure marks a significant step. However, the government still needs to validate the restart, because the projects depend on regulatory approval. Reuters reported that authorities are reviewing an addendum to the Mozambique LNG development plan, which includes a revised budget that still awaits approval.

Authorities are also discussing execution timelines and compliance with national rules. The government aims to secure these elements before authorizing the redeployment of teams in Cabo Delgado.

Rovuma LNG, whose concession period gained a 4.5-year extension, plans to reach its final investment decision in 2026 and start production in 2030.

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) estimated in a 2023 study that Mozambique could earn between $35 billion and $63.6 billion over the lifetime of its LNG projects. The institute added that fiscal revenues would only begin to materialize in the early or mid-2030s.

This article was initially published in French by Abdel-Latif Boureima

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum