Mozambique took a major step in its industrialisation drive on Monday with the laying of the foundation stone for the clinker and cement plant in Chibabava. The event, part of the National Programme to Industrialise Mozambique, was led by Minister of Economy Basílio Muhate and attended by Sofala Province Governor Lourenço Bulha.
The project is backed by an investment of more than US$280m and will have an annual production capacity of around one million tonnes. Officials said the plant is expected to cut Mozambique’s reliance on imported cement and clinker, boost domestic supply, increase tax revenues, and help lower construction costs over time.
Chibabava Cimentos is majority-owned by Sino Harbor Construction Group, represented at the ceremony by CEO Cheng Biao. The Chinese-funded development also includes a 28MW captive power plant, which the government said will support stable operations and help position the facility as one of the country’s most significant construction materials ventures.
More than 500 jobs are expected to be created, with priority given to local labour, especially young people from Chibabava district. The project also aims to strengthen local value chains through the use of national raw materials, while offering technical training and knowledge transfer.
Scheduled for completion in 2027, the plant could eventually supply regional markets, including SADC and COMESA, reinforcing economic cooperation between Mozambique and China.
