Mozambique company search: CREL via IPEX (ipex.gov.mz)

TL;DR. Mozambique’s legal entity registry is the Conservatoria do Registo das Entidades Legais (CREL). Public access is described through IPEX (Instituto para a Promocao de Exportacoes e Investimentos) at https://www.ipex.gov.mz, which did not respond when last checked. The bare domain https://ipex.gov.mz and https://conservatoria.gov.mz do not resolve at all, and no replacement search address is published. No metical fees are published either; confirm at source. The FATF site at https://www.fatf-gafi.org is online, but Mozambique’s current listing is not stated here; confirm at source.

What is the official Mozambique business registry?

Mozambique’s legal entity registry is the Conservatoria do Registo das Entidades Legais (CREL), established under Mozambique’s company law framework governed by the Codigo Comercial (Commercial Code) and its subsequent reforms. CREL is administered by the Ministry of Justice through its registry offices (conservatorias) in each provincial capital, with the Maputo conservatory handling the largest volume of registrations.

IPEX (Instituto para a Promocao de Exportacoes e Investimentos) is described as operating the Balcao de Atendimento Unico (BAU) one-stop-shop for company formation. https://www.ipex.gov.mz did not respond when last checked, the bare ipex.gov.mz domain does not resolve, and neither does conservatoria.gov.mz. No replacement BAU or CREL search address is published. The BAU description below is the statutory one-stop label; confirm it at source.

Legal entity types under Mozambique’s Commercial Code include: private limited companies (Limitada, Lda), joint-stock companies (Sociedade Anonima, SA), unlimited partnerships (Sociedade em Nome Colectivo), limited partnerships, sole traders, and branches of foreign companies. The Lda is the most common form for private commercial activity.

Mozambique uses the Metical (MZN) as its currency. The country has material natural resources including natural gas, coal, and rubies, and is emerging as a major LNG exporter following offshore gas discoveries.

What can you search?

No IPEX or BAU search page could be reached, because https://www.ipex.gov.mz did not respond. CREL filings have been reported to use company name, NUIT and the commercial registration number; confirm at source.

How much does it cost?

No metical figures could be confirmed while https://www.ipex.gov.mz does not respond, so the table above reads unknown rather than free; confirm at source.

Do you need a local account or ID?

Account and identity rules could not be confirmed, because https://www.ipex.gov.mz did not respond. Physical extract requests at a conservatoria office have been reported to require identification from the requesting party or a local representative; confirm at source.

Is the website in English?

English coverage could not be confirmed. IPEX and CREL materials have been reported as Portuguese; confirm at source.

Key Portuguese terms: Limitada (Lda) = private limited company; Sociedade Anonima (SA) = joint-stock company; NUIT = tax and business identification number; Certidao de Registo = certified registry extract; Registo Comercial = commercial registry.

What’s the turnaround time?

Unknown. No turnaround could be confirmed while https://www.ipex.gov.mz does not respond; confirm at source.

Is there an API?

No public API is documented, and no IPEX page could be reached.

What you legally cannot do

Mozambique’s Lei de Proteccao de Dados Pessoais (Law 9/2019 on Personal Data Protection) governs the use of personal data in registry filings. Director names and addresses extracted from registry records may not be used for unsolicited marketing. Bulk commercial extraction and redistribution of registry data without authorization is restricted. Document the purpose of all access for AML/KYC audit trail requirements. The FATF site at https://www.fatf-gafi.org is online, but Mozambique’s current listing is not stated here; confirm at source.

Practical tips for foreign compliance buyers

• FATF listing not confirmed here. Mozambique has been reported as placed under increased monitoring in June 2022. Check the current lists at fatf-gafi.org; confirm at source.
• LNG sector UBO complexity. Mozambique’s Rovuma Basin LNG projects (Total, Eni, ExxonMobil-led consortia) involve complex joint-venture and contractor structures. Companies in the LNG supply chain may have opaque beneficial ownership via offshore holding structures. Apply heightened UBO scrutiny for energy and extractives counterparties.
• “Tuna Bond” scandal legacy. Mozambique’s 2016 hidden debt scandal (USD 2 billion in undisclosed government-guaranteed loans) resulted in IMF program suspension and exposed systemic governance weaknesses. The scandal’s legacy continues to affect institutional trust ratings. For sovereign-linked or parastatale counterparties, additional verification is warranted.
• NUIT is the anchor identifier. The NUIT (Numero Unico de Identificacao Tributaria) serves as both the tax identification number and the primary business identifier. It is issued at formation through the BAU one-stop-shop. Always collect the NUIT from any Mozambican counterparty.
• Provincial coverage. Mozambique’s CREL system has conservatoria offices in each of the 10 provinces plus the capital. For entities registered outside Maputo (e.g., in Nampula, Beira, or Pemba near the LNG zone), digital coverage may be less complete; physical searches at the relevant provincial conservatoria may be required.
• Security context. The Cabo Delgado province (northern Mozambique, near LNG projects) has experienced an Islamist insurgency since 2017, with material UNHCR-documented displacement. Companies operating in northern Mozambique face elevated political and security risk. This is operationally important for counterparties in extractives and logistics in that region.

Alternatives if you cannot access IPEX directly

• IPEX host (https://www.ipex.gov.mz): did not respond when last checked. Not a working search path.
• Aggregator search: OpenCorporates has limited Mozambique coverage. Treat as indicative only.
• Local legal firms in Maputo: recommended for certified extracts, older pre-digital records, and provincial registry searches.

Local data suppliers

No major international credit bureau operates a standalone Mozambique commercial credit service as of May 2026. For risk-rated commercial reports, engagement with a regional African due-diligence provider or an international firm with Lusophone Africa coverage is recommended.

FAQ

Can a foreign company access the Mozambique registry directly?

The IPEX host did not respond when last checked, so there is no confirmed anonymous name or NUIT search. Certified extracts have been reported to involve a conservatoria office or local representation; confirm at source.

What is the NUIT in Mozambique?

The NUIT (Numero Unico de Identificacao Tributaria) is Mozambique’s single business and tax identifier, issued at company formation through the BAU one-stop-shop. It serves as the primary anchor identifier for entity searches and appears on all official company documents, tax filings, and commercial contracts.

What entity types are registered in Mozambique?

The principal types are Limitada (Lda, private limited company), Sociedade Anonima (SA, joint-stock company), individual entrepreneurs (empresario em nome individual), unlimited and limited partnerships, and branches of foreign companies.

Does Mozambique have a beneficial ownership (UBO) registry?

No public beneficial ownership search could be reached, because the IPEX host did not respond. Beneficial ownership rules sit in Mozambique’s AML legislation, and GIFiM has been reported as the financial intelligence unit that holds the data; confirm at source.

Is Mozambique on the FATF grey list?

Mozambique’s current listing is not stated here. It has been reported as placed under increased monitoring in June 2022; check the current lists at https://www.fatf-gafi.org.

What is the difference between CREL and IPEX?

CREL (Conservatoria do Registo das Entidades Legais) is the legal entity registry maintained by the Ministry of Justice through provincial conservatoria offices. IPEX is described as the investment promotion agency that operates the BAU one-stop-shop. The IPEX host did not return a search page when last checked, so it is not confirmed as a working public-access portal.

Last verified: 2026-09-04. Sources: www.ipex.gov.mz, which did not respond; ipex.gov.mz and conservatoria.gov.mz, which do not resolve; and fatf-gafi.org, which is online. For the full global due diligence framework, see our Global Business Due Diligence Guide.