Mozambique LNG Academy faces criticism over training location in Maputo

Mozambique's Ministry of Education and Culture (MEC) announced that the initial phase of the Mozambique LNG Academy will be held at the Industrial and Commercial Institute of Matola because the institute offers superior infrastructure, laboratories, workshops and accommodation. The program will train 260 technicians for the Afungi LNG project, with theoretical instruction in Matola followed by two years of practical training at TotalEnergies facilities in Cabo Delgado. The partnership, formalised in a July 28 memorandum with TotalEnergies, includes an investment of 191.5 million meticais.

Civil society group FOCADE criticised the decision, arguing that the academy should be based in Pemba, the provincial capital of Cabo Delgado, where the LNG project is located. FOCADE said local content must benefit host communities directly and that Pemba already has the necessary institutions and infrastructure. The controversy highlights tensions between national training strategies and local expectations for economic benefits from the LNG project.