Nacala Special Economic Zone

The Nacala Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Mozambique was established by Decree n°76/2007 on December 18th, 2007. This zone encompasses the entire districts of Nacala and Nacala-à-Velha within Nampula Province, covering an area of 1,539 km². It’s noteworthy as the first Special Economy created at the national level under public management, specifically under the administration of APIEX, the Mozambican Agency for Investment and Export Promotion​ (APIEX Moçambique)​.

Since its inception in 2009, the Nacala SEZ has seen investments exceeding US$2.5 billion across 178 projects, with projections to create around 23,000 jobs. This initiative reflects the Mozambican government’s strategy to leverage special economic zones to stimulate socio-economic development, focusing on diversifying activities in sectors such as agriculture, agro-business, tourism, infrastructure, transport, and services​ (Mozambique)​.

A notable development within the Nacala SEZ is the establishment of a logistics complex for graphite, managed by the South African company Grindrod, which serves the Australian company Syrah Resources. This complex is a significant step towards consolidating the Special Economic Zone, contributing to job creation and income in Nacala. Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi highlighted the importance of the port of Nacala in exporting natural resources, noting that it now handles more cargo than initially projected. This increase in activity is partly due to the graphite exports facilitated by the Grindrod complex​ (Mozambique)​.

The Nacala SEZ’s strategic location and its comprehensive facilities, including a deep-water port and international airport, position it as a key gateway for entry and exit to Africa. It aims to attract large investment projects in various sectors, emphasizing logistics, industry, agro-processing, and the chemical industry​ (APIEX Moçambique)