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TotalEnergies resumes massive Gas Project in Mozambique after four-year suspension
Paris, October 25, 2025 (AFP) — French energy giant TotalEnergies announced on Saturday the resumption of its large-scale liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Mozambique, more than four years after it was halted due to a jihadist insurgency in the country’s north.
“The Mozambique LNG consortium has decided to lift the force majeure declared after the attack on Palma in March 2021,” the company said in a statement. The decision follows improved security conditions in Cabo Delgado, the province bordering Tanzania where the $20 billion project is located.
TotalEnergies said that the final green light still depends on approval from the Mozambican Council of Ministers, which must validate an updated development plan, budget, and schedule. The presidency of Mozambique was officially informed of the move on Friday, the firm added.
A Return to One of Africa’s Largest Energy Ventures
The restart of Mozambique LNG could mark a turning point for the country’s ambitions to become a major global gas producer. According to local outlet Zitamar News, the announcement comes as President Daniel Chapo travels to the United States to visit ExxonMobil’s headquarters. The American company is also expected to make an investment decision soon on its Rovuma LNG project, another large-scale operation in northern Mozambique.
At a recent energy forum in Maputo, ExxonMobil Mozambique director Arne Gibbs said his company’s investment decision would depend on TotalEnergies lifting its force majeure status.
While Italian group ENI has been producing gas offshore since 2022, TotalEnergies’ onshore facility is expected to have four times the capacity. Together, these projects could make Mozambique one of the world’s top ten gas producers, accounting for up to 20% of Africa’s total gas output by 2040, according to a 2024 Deloitte report.
Security Challenges Remain
Although no attacks of the magnitude of the 2021 Palma assault, which killed around 800 people, have been reported since, the insurgency — linked to the Islamic State group — remains active. The UN estimates that jihadist groups have carried out more than 630 attacks on civilians in 2025, nearly double the figure recorded in 2024.