Mozambique Boosts Investment in Water and Sanitation Infrastructure to Expand Access

Government Outlines Ambitious Water and Sanitation Goals

The Mozambican government has announced plans for substantial investment in strategic water infrastructure, a move aimed at significantly enhancing access to clean water and proper sanitation across the nation. Fernando Rafael, the Minister of Public Works, Housing and Water Resources, stated on October 10, 2025, that these investments will be made throughout the current five-year governance plan. The initiative underscores the government's commitment to improving public health and living conditions for its citizens.

The ambitious targets include increasing national clean water coverage from the current 62% to 68% and boosting sanitation coverage from 37% to 47%. These efforts are projected to benefit approximately 5.6 million people nationwide. To achieve these goals, the government plans to install 154 new water systems and establish 133,000 new connections, particularly in villages and rural areas.

Significant Financial Commitments and Partnerships

The investment program is backed by substantial financial commitments from both national entities and international partners. The Fundo de Investimento e Património de Abastecimento de Água (FIPAG), Mozambique's national urban water supply infrastructure fund, has already secured $250 million USD for the Urban Water Supply Investment Programme, which has a total budget of $1.8 billion USD since its launch in 2022. FIPAG is actively negotiating to secure an additional $300 million USD from cooperation partners.

International support plays a crucial role in these developments. The World Bank, through a $150 million USD International Development Association (IDA) grant, is funding an Urban Water Security Program designed to benefit over 1.3 million people in Mozambique's southern region. Additionally, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is investing over $100 million USD in Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) activities over the next four years. The African Development Bank (AfDB) has also contributed, including a $27 million USD urban sanitation project launched in April 2025, targeting cities like Chimoio, Lichinga, and Cuamba, with Chimoio alone benefiting 190,000 people in its initial phase.

Addressing Critical Challenges and Long-Term Vision

Mozambique faces significant challenges in water and sanitation, characterized by low access levels and often poor service quality, particularly in rural areas where a large portion of the population resides. The country's rapidly growing population, coupled with sprawling informal settlements and recurrent natural disasters, places immense pressure on existing infrastructure.

The government's investment strategy aims to mitigate these issues by focusing on:

• The construction and rehabilitation of strategic hydro infrastructures, including dams, small dams, dikes, and retention systems.
• The development of new water treatment plants, extensive pipeline networks, and boreholes.
• The implementation of climate-resilient solutions to combat the impacts of droughts and floods.

These efforts align with Mozambique's commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6), which targets universal access to safe and affordable water and sanitation by 2030. The national roadmap also prioritizes the eradication of open defecation by 2025 and universal access to safe sanitation by 2030.