Healthy growth figures and low NPLs are giving Mozambique's banks optimism that they can weather the country's cooling economic climate. It is a view shared by foreign investors who have an eye on its strong long-term prospects, as James King reports.

A series of worrying headlines regarding Mozambique's bond activity and overall economic performance do not portray a country ripe for investment, but factors such as a huge natural gas discovery mean the mood within Maputo and beyond is one of optimism. James King reports.

Boasting major gas discoveries, Mozambique is nursing ambitions to become both a regional energy hub and a key exporter to Asia. But the government must act fast to attract investment in an increasingly competitive market, writes James King.

Mozambique's banking market is on the verge of a significant shake up, with new challengers entering the market and the country on the brink of a natural gas boom. 

Mozambique’s banking sector has grown rapidly in recently years, on the back of the country’s resources boom, and neither the country's large current account deficit or political tensions seem likely to scupper its health.

Standard Chartered already has one of the largest African businesses among banks from outside the continent, but it still wants to increase its operations there substantially in the next few years. Diana Layfield, its chief executive for Africa, tells Paul Wallace how.