Rovuma LNG heads for its 2026 investment decision: what suppliers should have ready

Where the project stands (October 2026)

• Force majeure lifted on 20 November 2025; the operator states the partners are progressing towards a final investment decision in 2026. No decision had been announced when this note was written.
• On 10 August 2026 ExxonMobil issued a letter of intent to the SMDC joint venture (Saipem, McDermott Energy Solutions, Daewoo E&C, CPECC) for limited engineering and procurement services for Phase 1; Saipem describes it as preliminary works, with the final award conditional on the investment decision and approvals.
• On 17 August 2026 the co-venturers awarded about US$1.1 billion of pre-investment contracts for long-lead subsea equipment (OneSubsea with Aker Solutions Mozambique, Advanced Technology Valve, Corinth Pipeworks, Sumitomo, Zhejiang Jiuli).
• On 10 September 2026 ExxonMobil signed a letter of intent with Saipem and Jan De Nul for the upstream scope and awarded shorebase contracts in Pemba to CFML Logistic SA and Alistair Group Mozambique, both Mozambican-owned.
• Early infrastructure works were awarded to the Mota-Engil and Bonatti consortium for 178 million euros, reported in September 2026.
• Area 4 partners: Mozambique Rovuma Venture (Eni, ExxonMobil, CNPC) 70%, XRG (ADNOC) 10%, KOGAS 10%, ENH 10%.

What the decision would unlock

The full EPC award, camp and port expansion at Afungi, module transport and installation, and a second wave of civil, electrical, logistics, catering, security and manpower contracts in Cabo Delgado, overlapping with the construction peak of Mozambique LNG next door. The Local Content Authority created by Law 9/2026 will measure this wave from the start.

Six things to have ready

1. A Mozambican entity, or a partnership with at least 20% Mozambican capital, incorporated and licensed.
2. Tax number, VAT registration and social security registration, with clearances available on request.
3. Vendor registration completed on the operator and EPC portals, and the local content certification file prepared for when the Authority’s procedure opens.
4. A hiring plan for the first expatriates, using the 180-day short-term regime of Decree 63/2011 where it fits and starting work authorisations early.
5. A contract template that allocates withholding tax, VAT and currency risk explicitly.
6. Accounting and payroll that produce local content, tax and exchange-control evidence from the first invoice.