The Mota-Engil Group has long been a leader across Portugal, which has expanded its operations in infrastructure, transport and logistics, energy, oil and gas, mining, and environment solutions across the globe. With crucial developments in Europe, Africa and Latin America, the overarching company has holdings in 228 companies, with projects across the globe. However, following the establishment of the company’s work in Angola in 1946, Africa has been a key division of development for the country, which has seen Mota-Engil Africa expand its operations to 13 countries across the African continent. Therefore, as a go-to provider of a range of infrastructure, engineering, and mining solutions, Mota-Engil leads the way across the continent as a crucial contractor developing the region towards a more efficient and sustainable future.
Mota-Engil Africa has spent the last 70 years providing a range of infrastructure solutions across Africa, including 68 engineering and construction projects, 8 environment and services projects, 9 mining projects, and 3 transport concession projects. Africa was a natural market for Mota-Engil to expand across due to its long-standing relationship and deep knowledge of the area following the initial development by the company in Angola. The company aims to establish close partnerships in infrastructure projects across a variety of solutions, to continue to broaden the company’s overall role across Africa.
Mota-Engil has been expanding its operations into new markets of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) space, by developing and building on its existing technical and financial capacity. In doing so, Mota-Engil can develop projects which are tailored to its customer’s needs, whilst contributing to the overall goal to bring the African Continent continued development. We can see that Africa makes a key home market for the company, with a large percentage of its operations taking place across the continent, having expanded its original customer base from Portugal to the expansive markets of Africa. Consequently, Mota-Engil is striving to be an international reference across the broad variety of sectors in which they operate, which, when combined with core values of innovation, ambition, integrity, cohesion, and group spirit positions the company to lead the industry across the continent.
Having further expanded its operations in Africa in 1975, Mota-Engil has been involved in a variety of key projects that have developed their respective regions towards success. These projects included the construction of the Dreihuk Dam in Namibia, the infrastructure of the Sun City Resort and Matooser-Bierkaal Road in South Africa, and the Lonhlupheko – Lomahasha Road in Swaziland. These constructions began Mota-Engil’s progressive internationalization of its operations and business, to today have over 85 projects across the continent. Current, construction and engineering projects include the Tilenga Upstream Development project, in which Mota-Engil was awarded a contract worth 162.4 million USD by TotalEnergies.
The Tilenga Upstream Development Project takes place in Uganda and, through the project’s key investments, develops the country’s energy sector. Mota-Engil is involved in the “Site Preparation for Enabling Infrastructure – Wellpads” phase, as well as having been awarded further contracts for the “Site Preparation for Enabling Infrastructure Industrial Area” and “Upstream Facilities – General Civil Works” phases. The project marks some key contracts awarded to Mota-Engil in Africa for key construction and engineering services.
Mota-Engil also has a keen mining presence in Africa, with 9 mining projects which span the continent. The Latigué Project is a crucial mining project awarded to Mota-Engil, in collaboration with Endeavour Mining, to deliver mining solutions across the Ivory Coast. The contract shows the role Mota-Engil plays in the wider sphere of mining solution providers as it works to develop its reach through strategic and rich partnerships with other key players in their respective industries. Consequently, the contract is worth roughly 600 million USD and shows the ongoing work the two companies are working on across the Ivory Coast.
Mota-Engil has 3 transport concession projects across the continent, including the Labito Corridor project in which the company is providing rail services and logistical support concessions to provide a key route connecting the mine of the Democratic Republic of Congo (RDC) with the port of Lobito in Angola. These vital infrastructure links allow the RDC to transport products from its mines towards the port, for crucial access to international markets. The contract is set to span 30 years and will provide essential logistical movement for the RDC and even further development for Angola. Mota-Engil is also involved in 8 environment and services projects, one of which includes a new 290-euro contract for the construction of water collection, treatment, and distribution infrastructures in Angola. In partnership with Soares da Costa and Suez, the contract, which is financed by World Bank, will provide the country with further environmental development services.
A key pillar of Mota-Engil’s operations is to ensure that sustainability is upheld throughout their operations. Mota-Engil highlights the role that companies must play in implementing sustainability agendas, as they pride themselves on being “a global company focused on sustainably delivering value to all stakeholders”. As announced recently in Mota-Engil’s 2022 Sustainability Report, the company has set out a Strategic Plan timeline for 2022 to 2026 which aims to protect the climate, inspire progress toward sustainability, foster well-being and equality, accelerate the innovation of the business towards sustainable goals/solutions, all whilst empowering and supporting local communities.
These crucial pillars of Mota-Engil’s operations allowed them to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 40% in 2022, and so continue its commitment to being fully carbon neutral by 2050. This process will include constructing more efficient buildings, promoting electrical mobility, optimising processes and material use, investing in renewable energies, and integrating environmental requirements into procurement policies company wide. Therefore, it is clear that striving for sustainability is a key priority for Mota-Engil Africa, and so its customers can be sure that by choosing Mota-Engil they will also be investing in a more sustainable future.
Overall, Mota-Engil is working to establish itself as a first choice for a wide variety of service needs across its central regions of operation. However, with such key contracts taking place in Africa, it is clear to see how the company’s development of this division is crucial for expanding both its international reach and its role as a reliable provider of solution needs. Every project is working with key partners across the industry to provide life-changing development goals through infrastructure, construction, engineering, mining, transport, and energy sectors. However, it is evident that throughout every operation, service, or solution; Mota-Engil is keenly concerned with ensuring that they are working toward a more sustainable future by meeting crucial goals to make their work and the world a more sustainable place.
