Mozambique AML & Sanctions Compliance

Mozambique — AML & Compliance FAQs

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• Who regulates AML and sanctions compliance in Mozambique?

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  AML/CFT compliance in Mozambique is led by two primary authorities. The Gabinete de Informação Financeira de Moçambique (GIFiM) is Mozambique’s Financial Intelligence Unit — it receives and analyses suspicious transaction reports, coordinates financial intelligence with law enforcement, and oversees AML/CFT compliance across reporting entities. The Banco de Moçambique (BM) is the primary prudential supervisor for banks and financial institutions, enforcing AML/CFT standards in the banking sector. Mozambique’s regulatory framework is primarily governed by Law No. 14/2013 on Anti-Money Laundering and Combating Terrorism Financing, as comprehensively reformed between 2022 and 2025.

• Has Mozambique been removed from the FATF grey list?

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  Yes. Mozambique was removed from the FATF Increased Monitoring list (grey list) in October 2025, having completed all 26 items in its FATF action plan. Mozambique had been added to the grey list in October 2022 and, with EU technical assistance, implemented a comprehensive package of legislative and regulatory reforms culminating in a successful Joint Group on-site visit in July 2025. Removal normalises Mozambique’s international standing — correspondent banks and international counterparties should no longer apply grey-list-level enhanced due diligence solely on the basis of FATF status. However, domestic regulators have intensified oversight following delisting and continue to require robust, evidenced compliance from reporting entities.

• What AML/CFT obligations apply to businesses in Mozambique?

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  Reporting entities — including banks, insurance companies, money transfer operators, real estate agents, lawyers, accountants, and dealers in high-value goods — must comply with Law No. 14/2013 and its 2022–2025 amendments. Core obligations include conducting customer due diligence (CDD) and enhanced due diligence (EDD) for higher-risk customers and business relationships, implementing a beneficial ownership framework, filing Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs) with GIFiM, screening against UN sanctions lists, and maintaining annual ML/TF risk assessments with supporting data and case evidence. Post-delisting, domestic supervisors require active demonstration of compliance effectiveness — not merely the existence of policies.

• What is the terrorism financing risk in Mozambique?

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  Mozambique faces a significant terrorism financing risk linked to the ongoing Islamist insurgency in Cabo Delgado province in the north. Financial institutions must apply heightened screening for transactions involving entities, individuals, or regions connected to the insurgency. Non-profit organisations operating in conflict-affected areas require enhanced due diligence given the risk of NPO channels being used for TF. The extractive industries sector in Cabo Delgado — including major natural gas projects — creates large cross-border transaction volumes that require scrutiny for anomalies that could indicate TF or sanctions evasion.

• What are the main money laundering typologies in Mozambique?

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  Key ML typologies in Mozambique include: drug trafficking proceeds from transit operations through Mozambique’s coastline; wildlife trafficking, particularly ivory and rhino horn; corruption and misappropriation of public funds linked to extractive industry contracts; illicit financial flows from Mozambique’s significant natural gas and mineral sector; terrorism financing connected to the Cabo Delgado insurgency; and trade-based money laundering. The money remittance sector is also flagged as a higher-risk channel given the volume of cross-border transfers.

• What does Mozambique’s grey list removal mean for due diligence requirements?

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  Mozambique’s removal from the FATF grey list in October 2025 means it is classified internationally as medium-risk rather than high-risk — an improvement that reduces the burden of enhanced due diligence for international counterparties. However, this does not mean compliance obligations have been reduced domestically. GIFiM and Banco de Moçambique have signalled that post-delisting oversight will be rigorous, with an expectation of annual ML/TF risk assessments demonstrating practical implementation and measurable AML outcomes. Businesses should maintain robust compliance programmes and document effectiveness with data.

• How does Anqa Compliance support businesses operating in Mozambique?

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  Anqa Compliance helps financial institutions and businesses in Mozambique navigate the post-grey-list compliance environment. Our platform provides risk-based CDD workflows calibrated to Mozambique’s specific typologies — including natural gas sector transactions and TF risk — automated UN sanctions screening, transaction monitoring with configurable alert thresholds, and STR reporting tools aligned with GIFiM requirements. We help compliance teams demonstrate the evidenced effectiveness that domestic supervisors now require.