The government has announced the disbursement of 400 million dollars (25.2 billion meticais) to settle 70% of the debt contracted with national gas stations, hoping that the total debt will be completely paid off this year.
According to information from the Semanário Económico portal, the debt with the petrol stations resulted from the fuel subsidy, a measure adopted to stabilize prices for consumers in the face of the volatility of the international market. This subsidy has accumulated a significant debt over time, requiring the creation of a sustainable payment mechanism.
The president of the Mozambican Association of Oil Companies (AMEPETROL), Michel Ussene, said that payment of the debt began in mid-2023, through a mechanism called the “stabilization component”, which allows fuel supply companies to recover the amount owed as they sell fuel at the pumps.
“AMEPETROL remains committed to ensuring that fuel price fluctuations are reflected fairly for consumers,” added Ussene.
He also said that “according to Decree 89/2019, which establishes the monthly correction of the price of fuel according to the variation in the price of a barrel on the international market, price fluctuations in Mozambique occur on the third Thursday of each month, with positive or negative adjustments on the domestic market.”
Michel Ussene pointed out that “with the disbursement of the 400 million dollars, the government has taken a significant step towards the total settlement of the debt with the petrol companies, which demonstrates its commitment to resolving financial disputes and stabilizing the fuel market, benefiting both the supply companies and consumers”.
