Mozambique is forecasting record gold production in 2027, at 1,809 kilograms – a 44% increase compared with 2026 – as part of a recovery driven by the resumption of mining activity following constraints in the main production centres.
According to estimates in the 2027 budget proposal, the Government points to a “significant recovery” in the extractive industry, supported by the recovery of the main export minerals.
“In the metallic minerals sector, gold stands out, with production potentially increasing by around 44%,” it states.
The Executive expects gold production to reach 1,809.2 kilograms in 2027, above the 1,255.4 kilograms projected for 2026 and surpassing the previous high recorded in 2023.
The data indicate that gold production rose from 764.4 kilograms in 2021 to 1,263.8 kilograms in 2022 and 1,666.4 kilograms in 2023, before declining to 1,625.8 kilograms in 2024 and 1,349.3 kilograms in 2025.
The expected increase in production should also translate into higher export revenues.
At current international gold prices, the 1,809.2 kilograms projected for 2027 represent a gross market value of over US$230 million (€200 million) at current prices, although the actual value of production will depend on movements in international prices and marketing conditions.
The projected recovery comes during a period marked by difficulties in the sector, with the first-half 2026 budget execution report indicating that Mozambique’s gold production fell 12% between January and June, to 713.33 kilograms, equivalent to just 36% of the annual target of 1,723.24 kilograms set for this year.
The Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy attributed this performance to the suspension of mining companies in Niassa province to regularise their respective licences and the suspension of mining activity in Manica, ordered by Decree No. 32/2025.
“This province [Manica] is the one that contributes most to gold production,” the Government noted in its half-year report, explaining the impact of the measure on national production levels.
In 2025, gold production had already fallen 17%, to 1.349 tonnes, below the targets set by the Executive, also due to the suspension of extraction activities in Manica, one of the country’s main producing regions.
According to the 2025 budget execution, this result represented just 82% of the annual target and interrupted a growth cycle that culminated in the then-record 1.626 tonnes achieved in 2024.
The decline in production occurred amid increased oversight of the mining sector, after the Government established a multi-sectoral commission to combat illegal mining, monitor degraded areas and ensure the local refining of gold produced in Mozambique before export.
In parallel, the Executive authorised the resumption of operations by 30 of the 41 mining companies suspended in Manica since September 2025, following confirmation that they had met environmental requirements and mining standards, while the remaining companies continue to be assessed as part of the sector’s reorganisation process.
Source: Lusa