French energy company TotalEnergies and its partners have lifted force majeure on the $20 billion Mozambique liquefied natural gas project, four years after Islamist militant attacks halted construction, reported Reuters.
The company confirmed it sent formal notice to the Mozambican government on Friday, signalling readiness to resume work on one of Africa’s largest energy investments. However, the project will not restart until the Council of Ministers approves an updated budget and development plan.
The 13-million-ton-per-year project is now expected to begin production in 2029, about five years later than planned. Indian shareholder Bharat Petroleum has estimated that costs have risen by at least $4 billion due to security measures and project delays.
Around 90% of the project’s future output has already been sold under long-term contracts to buyers including China’s CNOOC, France’s EDF and Shell, with a portion allocated to Mozambique’s state energy company ENH.
The announcement comes amid renewed violence in northern Cabo Delgado province. At least two members of Mozambique’s Rapid Intervention Unit were killed on 21 October 2025, when insurgents attacked a convoy in Muidumbe district, according to conflict monitor ACLED. Other reports indicated that four of the 12 troops in the vehicle were killed and the rest wounded.
The European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations department has recorded 519 insurgent attacks in northern Mozambique since January 2025, the highest number since the conflict began in 2017.
The United Nations has also reported a rise in kidnappings, killings and the use of improvised explosive devices. The Islamist insurgency, linked to the Islamic State group, has claimed more than 6,200 lives since 2017.
[Image: https://www.itssverona.it/unraveling-isis-islamic-states-offices-across-africa]