Mozambique Company

The Mozambique Company was a chartered company established in the 1890s by Portugal. This company, along with others like the Niassa and Zambezia Companies, was granted the right to exploit large tracts of land and its inhabitants in Mozambique. In exchange, these companies were obligated to develop agriculture, communications, social services, and trade.

Economic development and infrastructure investment were primarily driven by the companies' interests, often at the expense of the African population. Plantations for sugar, copra, and sisal relied heavily on conscripted labor. Railways were built to connect regions to British territories, further benefiting company interests. These practices, including forced labor and high taxes, characterized Portuguese rule through these companies until the charters were eventually terminated, bringing Mozambique under direct Portuguese administration.12