Opportunities for U.S. franchises may exist in fast food, printing shops, and business services in the Maputo metropolitan area. The local banking, postal, debt collection, and customs services are not adequate to support direct marketing at this time. Since Mozambique's manufacturing sector is weak, licensing is practiced only on a limited scale. Although the bureaucracy involved in registering a company has been reduced, much red tape and corruption still complicate obtaining local licenses and permits. Most U.S. firms hire a consulting firm to assist with this process.
Many local businesses lack working capital.
Promotional material should be written in the Portuguese language. The country has two television stations broadcasting in Maputo and one in Beira and in Nampula. Television advertising may be the most effective medium to reach affluent Mozambicans, the likely purchasers of imported products for personal use and for distribution. Maputo has an estimated 100,000 television sets. Television advertising is inexpensive.