By Logis-T Africa
Maputo is strengthening its human and technical capital in the transport sector. On December 15, 2025, the Maputo Port Development Company (MPDC) and the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto (FEUP) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), paving the way for cooperation in the fields of sustainable mobility and transport between Mozambique and Portugal.
This agreement gives rise to the MobiMZPT Programme, a joint initiative aimed at promoting innovation, applied research and high-level training in a sector that is critical to Mozambique’s economic and logistics development. The partnership was concluded within the framework of the Portugal–Mozambique Summit and aligns with the priorities of the 2022–2026 Strategic Cooperation Programme between the two countries.
Training talent and structuring innovation in mobility
At the heart of the MobiMZPT Programme lies a clear ambition: to strengthen local capacities while encouraging the transfer of skills and know-how between academic institutions and operational transport stakeholders. The partnership notably provides for:
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the creation of a cooperation platform dedicated to sustainable mobility and transport;
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the organisation of international seminars bringing together experts, academics and industry professionals;
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the launch in Maputo of a postgraduate programme in Transport Engineering and Management, led by FEUP;
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the development of advanced research projects involving Mozambican and Portuguese institutions.
This integrated approach seeks to address the growing challenges related to urbanisation, road safety and the sustainability of transport systems in Southern Africa.
MPDC Academy, a cornerstone of skills transfer
Under the agreement, MPDC will make its Training and e-learning Centre, MPDC Academy, available to host the higher education programmes promoted by FEUP. The initiative also includes the training of Mozambican trainers, in order to ensure the sustainability of skills development and generate a lasting impact on the national transport ecosystem.
This dimension forms part of MPDC’s broader commitment to corporate social responsibility, notably through its continued support for urban mobility and road safety initiatives.
A lever for the future of Mozambique’s transport sector
According to João Cuna, MPDC’s Human Resources Director, the partnership represents “a decisive opportunity to enhance the technical skills of young Mozambican professionals and lay the foundations for a safer and more sustainable future for the transport sector in Mozambique.”
Beyond training, the agreement illustrates the two partners’ determination to build a long-term strategic cooperation focused on innovation, human capital development and sustainability—key pillars for supporting the modernisation of transport infrastructure and logistics across Africa.
With the MobiMZPT Programme, MPDC and FEUP position sustainable mobility as a driver of economic and social transformation, while strengthening academic and technical ties between Lusophone Africa and Europe.
