The operational expenses of the state from January to September accounted for 70.2% of the total budgeted for 2025, as indicated by data from the Ministry of Finance on budget implementation.
In the same nine-month period, the government spent 149.9 billion meticais (2.04 billion euros) on public sector wages and salaries, which represents 74.1% of the total projected for this category for 2025.
However, the Ministry of Finance notes a decrease justified by the payment of 7.11 billion meticais (96.5 million euros) in September salaries, which were carried over and paid in October, making the total wages and salaries amount to 157 billion meticais (2.13 billion euros).
It is also noted that the category includes 6.888,2 million meticais [93.5 million euros] allocated to the payment of the 13th salary [of 2024, paid after February 2025], the Ministry adds.
In October, the Ministry of Finance had already warned about the pressures arising from increases in salaries and public debt, in the context of weak internal revenue mobilization.
The ministry’s latest risk monitoring report states that public expenditure “has experienced adverse dynamics in recent times, reflecting structural rigidity and pressures on the State Budget.”
The report also acknowledges that, in the short term, “the pressure on state expenditure is expected to remain high,” due to “the impacts of the relaxation of various support programs for the State Budget and development by international partners.”
“This situation imposes additional challenges to fiscal sustainability, requiring greater rigor in the management of public accounts, the setting of budget priorities, and strengthening fiscal discipline,” it reads.
The Mozambican government estimates a fiscal deficit above 6% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for 2026, with priorities including “controlling the wage bill” and “stabilizing the state’s debt commitments.”
“Ensuring the balance between the importance of consolidating public accounts to stabilize debt indicators, freeing up budgetary space to meet productive investment needs is essential. Moreover, this consolidation effort should not neglect the need to create conditions for resource allocation to investment, allowing the economy to continue growing,” said Amílcar Tivane, State Secretary for Treasury and Budget, on September 26.
