Security Guard Services in Mozambique

Security Considerations in Mozambique

A program in Mozambique typically covers offices and branches in the Baixa of Maputo, stores and shopping centers in Polana and Sommerschield, and sometimes warehouses in Matola or facilities in Beira and Tete. The program applies the same Post Orders, the same supervision and the same reporting format at every site. Portuguese is the working language, and English is requested at the reception desks of international companies and in hotels.

The rainy and cyclone season, roughly from November to April, mainly affects the central and northern coast, including Beira, and requires continuity procedures for posts. Coastal tourism in Inhambane and Vilankulo peaks during the year-end and Easter holidays. For sites in Cabo Delgado Province, coverage is assessed case by case before any proposal.

• Baixa of Maputo
• Polana
• Sommerschield
• Avenida Julius Nyerere
• Marginal de Maputo
• Costa do Sol
• Maputo Shopping Centre
• Baía Mall

How Coverage Works in Mozambique

McCray designs the program, and officers follow McCray Post Orders.

How to Become a Licensed Security Guard in Mozambique

In Mozambique, private security companies are regulated by Decree No. 9/2007 of April 30, which gives the Ministry of the Interior the power to license and oversee them. The sources consulted do not set requirements for individual guards, and independent reports describe weak state oversight and many unlicensed companies.

Regulator and legislation: Ministério do Interior (Ministry of the Interior). Legislation: Decree No. 9/2007 of April 30 (Decreto n.º 9/2007), on private security companies. A Ministry official also cited Decree No. 8/2007 of April 30 (Decreto n.º 8/2007) as relevant.

Agency Licensing

Private security companies must be licensed by the Ministry of the Interior under Decree No. 9/2007 of April 30. The Ministry also carries out inspections, but a 2025 CDD report states that its oversight capacity is limited.

A Ministry of the Interior official stated that private security companies may not have access to unauthorized weapons and that possession of unregistered weapons is prohibited by Decree No. 9/2007. The same source indicates that only the Defense and Security Forces are responsible for the movement of weapons. Detailed firearms licensing rules for guards have not been confirmed.

Sources

• CDD: Conference on Private Security Companies and Human Rights in Cabo Delgado (2020)
• CDD: Papel do Governo na supervisão da segurança privada e na regulação das relações empresa comunidade (The Government’s role in overseeing private security and regulating company and community relations, 2025)
• Zitamar News: Who guards the guardians

Requirements change. Confirm current rules with the official regulator before applying. This summary is general information, not legal advice. Last reviewed November 2026.

Cities in Mozambique

• Maputo
• Matola
• Beira
• Nampula
• Pemba
• Tete
• Inhambane
• Vilankulo

Coverage in other cities, including Quelimane, Chimoio, Nacala and Xai-Xai, is arranged on request.

Provinces of Mozambique

• Cabo Delgado
• Gaza
• Inhambane
• Manica
• Maputo
• Maputo City
• Nampula
• Niassa
• Sofala
• Tete
• Zambézia

Frequently Asked Questions

What Languages Do the Officers Speak?

All officers speak Portuguese, and many speak a local language, such as Changana in Maputo. For hotels, stores with foreign clientele and the reception desks of international companies, officers with working English are assigned, and the required level is set in the Post Orders for each post.

See the Africa overview for other countries.