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Nearly 500,000 elderly people received support through Mozambique’s Basic Social Subsidy Programme during the first half of 2026, out of around 700,000 people covered by the programme across all districts of the country.
The figures were announced by the Secretary of State for Gender and Social Action, Abdul Razak Esmail, during celebrations marking the International Day of Older Persons, held on 1 October in Maputo.
According to Esmail, the Government continues to face difficulties in ensuring regular payments, although the programme is being implemented nationwide.
“We currently have approximately 700,000 elderly people. During the first half of the year, just over 499,000 received the benefit,” he said, adding that the remaining beneficiaries are expected to receive support progressively by the end of the year.
Figures released around the commemorations indicate that about 200,000 elderly people covered by the programme did not receive the subsidy during the first half of the year.
The Government acknowledged the delays and identified the regularisation of payments as one of its main priorities for the coming months.
The Basic Social Subsidy Programme provides cash transfers to people living in poverty and vulnerable conditions. Current payments range from 540 to 1,000 meticais, depending on the composition of the household.
Government Rules Out Immediate Increase in Subsidy
Despite acknowledging that the amounts currently paid are insufficient to meet many beneficiaries’ needs, the Government does not plan to increase the subsidy for the time being.
Abdul Razak Esmail said the current economic situation limits the possibility of adjusting the amounts, arguing that the immediate priority is to ensure that payments reach beneficiaries more regularly.
“It would be very risky to assume that we are going to increase the amount. Our biggest challenge now is to ensure regular payments,” he said.
Esmail said the Government recognises the need to improve the amount allocated and could review the subsidy once economic conditions allow.
Delays in social assistance payments are not new. In May, President Daniel Chapo said the State still had about 2.9 billion meticais outstanding under the Basic Social Security Programme, after a previous debt estimated at 4.1 billion meticais.
Health and Protection of Elderly People Remain Challenges
In addition to financial support, the Government has identified access to healthcare, protection against violence and efforts to combat social exclusion as areas requiring greater attention.
The Government says elderly people are entitled to free access to public healthcare services, although it acknowledges that the level of assistance also depends on the capacity of health facilities.
Some elderly people have nevertheless reported difficulties in accessing medicines and specialised services for health conditions associated with ageing.
The Government has also identified cases of abuse, family abandonment and accusations of witchcraft targeting elderly people, and has called for stronger coordination with justice administration institutions to reinforce their protection.
This year’s International Day of Older Persons celebrations were held under the theme “Rethinking Social Protection Systems for Dignified Ageing”, bringing together representatives from the labour, gender and social action sector, as well as organisations working to promote the rights of elderly people.
The Mozambican Government has acknowledged that difficulties in accessing foreign currency affected economic performance and state revenue collection during the first half of 2026, at a time when businesses continue to report constraints in carrying out imports, international payments and transfers abroad.
Ethiopia and Eritrea severed diplomatic relations on Thursday, 1 October, in a new escalation of tensions between the two neighbouring countries, as fighting in northern Ethiopia raised fears of a broader regional crisis.
Around 489,000 people need health assistance in the provinces of Cabo Delgado, Nampula and Niassa, as armed conflict, population displacement and the effects of extreme weather events continue to put pressure on health services in northern Mozambique.
Mozambique’s Ministry of Finance has suspended procurement procedures for the purchase of vehicles by the Constitutional Council, valued at around 49.5 million meticais, following public criticism and to allow for a technical review of the process.
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