Palma traders complain of customer shortage after companies relocate to Afungi

 

Traders in the district headquarters of Palma in Cabo Delgado are going through difficult times. The lack of customers has become one of their biggest concerns in recent months, and many attribute the situation to the relocation of companies that once operated in the village to inside the TotalEnergies camp in Afungi.

In a conversation with Mozanorte, a local trader explained that ever since these companies moved into the multinational’s secured perimeter, business activity in the village has dropped drastically. “We used to have a lot of customers workers, technicians, suppliers there was life here. Now, with everyone inside the camp, the shops are empty,” he lamented.

After the attacks in 2020 and 2021, Palma began to show signs of recovery. The population returned, businesses resumed operations, and even traders from neighboring districts and the province of Nampula saw Palma as a land of opportunity. There was demand for almost everything. However, this dynamic changed when economic activity was concentrated within the TotalEnergies project area.

According to the traders, the village has lost not only customers but also valuable business opportunities. “When the companies were still operating here, money circulated. We sold food, clothes, building materials. Now, almost everything consumed inside the camp is brought in directly, and we’re left out,” said another vendor.

In addition to declining sales, prices have also dropped as a desperate attempt to attract the few customers who still pass by the local shops. “Nowadays, it’s not worth it. Even with lower prices, sales are not like before. In better times, we would restock every two months and bring in new items. Now, we can barely sell what we already have,” he added.

Local residents have expressed growing dissatisfaction with how the transition was handled. They feel excluded from a process that initially promised to benefit the district. “The companies left, took the workers with them, and left Palma empty. That’s why many people here no longer like Total,” one resident shared.

Despite the challenges, Palma’s traders remain resilient. They continue to show up every day, maintaining their businesses in the hope of better days ahead. This September, there have even been signs of increased movement out of the district, with bus stops packed early in the morning a reflection, perhaps, of a population searching elsewhere for what they can no longer find at home. (BP)