Niassa Company

The Niassa Company was a Portuguese chartered company established in the 1890s. It was granted the right to exploit lands and people in a specific area of Mozambique in exchange for developing agriculture, communications, social services, and trade.12

The company's economic development and infrastructure investments primarily served its own interests and were often at the expense of the African population. This included the establishment of plantations that relied heavily on conscripted labor.12

Portuguese rule in Mozambique during this period, including the era of companies like Niassa, was marked by the exploitation of African people and resources. This exploitation manifested as forced labor, forced crop cultivation, high taxes, low wages, and the confiscation of valuable lands. The Portuguese government eventually ended the charters of these major concession companies, bringing Mozambique under direct Portuguese rule.12