Mozambique lifts all time restrictions on commercial activities

As part of its post-crisis economic recovery measures, the Mozambican government has announced the removal of all time restrictions on commercial activity, giving businesses greater autonomy in deciding their operating hours.

According to Club of Mozambique publications accessed by Zambia Monitor on Thursday, the Ministry of Economy issued a statement highlighting that this move aimed to revitalize the economy, with particular focus on the commercial and services sector.

A note from the Ministry, cited by local newspaper Notícias, confirmed that the new measure allowed economic agents to set their own operating schedules.

However, businesses are still required to comply with general labor laws and sector-specific regulations.

The ministry emphasized that the new flexibility is intended to align business operations with market dynamics and should not be used to infringe on workers’ rights.

“In this context, the effective implementation of the measure requires that economic operators formally communicate their chosen opening hours to the National Directorate of Internal Trade, indicating the intended periods of activity. This will ensure better organization and monitoring of the sector,” the statement reads.

The government said the lifting of restrictions forms part of broader reforms aimed at boosting economic recovery, enhancing business efficiency, and creating a more dynamic commercial environment.

Mozambique does not have a single law that uniformly regulates business operating hours. Instead, commercial activities are governed by various legal and administrative instruments, depending on the type, location, and nature of the business.

The key legal framework remains Law No. 1/2007 of 7 February – the Commercial Activities Law – which outlines the principles guiding commercial operations in the country.