Business
Update: Reverse brain drain from Europe to Africa widens as more Portuguese flock to Mozambique
The prime minister may have been talking about teachers, but it was clear that the invitation to leave extended to people in other fields of work.
Thousands are heeding his advice. Several factors, beyond a shared language, have made Mozambique particularly attractive.
Despite Dias’ complaints, the cost of living is much lower than in Angola, where the capital – Luanda – was, until recently, the most expensive city in the world.
Mozambique is one of the seven fastest growing economies in Africa. Its growth rate and stable government make it a good place to start a business.
Recent gas discoveries have compounded this sense of optimism.
“With these new discoveries, and with the influx of foreigners here, people will start to spend more and they will want to eat in better restaurants and try different types of food,” says Portuguese restaurateur Marcos Silva, who opened an upmarket fish restaurant in Maputo a year ago.
Silva studied interior design in his native country but decided to pursue his passion for food. Business is now booming. His 160-seat restaurant is often booked out, he says.
