CEEG Seminar Series: Presentation of IGM conference posters on labour market and private sector dynamics in Mozambique

The 30 October CEEG seminar session consists of two recent conference posters produced under the Inclusive growth in Mozambique (IGM) programme. The first poster, titled ‘The employment journey in Mozambique’, is presented by Valdemiro Américo, UNU-WIDER Research Assistant. The second, focusing on the business environment in Mozambique, is presented by Kenny Mutar, Research Assistant at the Center for Economics and Management Studies (CEEG), and Juli Melembe, Research Assistant at UNU-WIDER. 

The seminar is part of the CEEG Seminar Series, organized under the IGM programme. The seminars offer a forum to share and discuss ongoing research on topics related to the work of the IGM programme and to foster a culture of research at the faculty and at UEM in general.

The seminars take place at the Faculty of Economics of the University of Eduardo Mondlane (UEM). They are public and open to all. The presentation is in Portuguese.

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About the studies

‘The Employment Journey in Mozambique’ summarizes IGM research on job market transitions of university and TVET graduates. It describes the disparities between the aspirations and realities of the students and highlights the challenges that many face, such as inactivity, unemployment, and informal work, with women in technical and professional education facing greater obstacles. Further, the poster proposes that the private sector is the preferred employment option for graduates. There is also evidence that salary expectations are influenced by information from colleagues, although generally overestimated due to maladjustments in the job market. The poster suggests policies to promote gender equality and to improve labour market efficiency through accurate information on open vacancies and partnerships between educational and business institutions.

‘The Business Environment in Mozambique’ is also based on IGM research, focusing on four main elements of the business environment: corruption, access to credit, business registration, and transparency. The poster suggests a significant increase in corruption during the period under review and indicates that the number of companies with restricted access to credit also increased. Further, it states that the level of formality of companies has decreased, reflected in a drop in the proportion of registered companies. In terms of transparency, the poster suggests that companies demonstrate a negative perception and that this negatively impacts their legal compliance. The recommendations include measures to combat corruption, facilitate access to credit, support the development of business skills, and improve government transparency, aiming for a healthier and more inclusive business environment.