Through the Linkar-ENH Project, the woman-led Mozambican logistics company is seeking investment, strategic partnerships and new opportunities to expand its transport fleet.
By Ajong Mbapndah L
For Nassira Carlota José Chitara, Managing Director of NAA Transportes e Serviços, participation in African Energy Week (AEW) 2026 in Cape Town was much more than an opportunity to promote her business. It was an inspiring encounter with fellow African women entrepreneurs, a chance to establish valuable international connections and an important step in her ambition to position her Mozambican transport and logistics company for greater growth.
At a gathering that brought together energy executives, investors, policymakers and entrepreneurs from across Africa and beyond, Chitara represented a growing generation of African businesswomen determined to secure a stronger foothold in industries traditionally dominated by larger, established companies.
Her participation through the Linkar-ENH Project offered NAA Transportes e Serviços an opportunity to explore partnerships, engage with potential investors and showcase the capabilities of a company seeking to expand its operations in Mozambique’s competitive transport and logistics market.
Reflecting on the experience, Chitara described the gathering as both personally rewarding and professionally motivating.
“It was a moment of introspection and a motivating opportunity to see that so many other women are in the battle, helping to develop each of their countries. I met inspiring women, role models, and made connections for a future of partnership. I realized I am not alone. Well done to Linkar-ENH for giving me this opportunity for personal growth and development,” she said.
Her reflections capture an important dimension of African Energy Week. Beyond the high-profile investment announcements and discussions on oil, gas and energy infrastructure, the event provides a platform for smaller African businesses seeking the relationships, visibility and commercial opportunities needed to grow.
Building a Mozambican Logistics Company with Bigger Ambitions
Based in Maputo Province, NAA Transportes e Serviços Sociedade Unipessoal, Lda. is a woman-led Mozambican company specializing in road freight transportation, distribution and the supply of goods and services.
Operating from the Boane-Massaka area, with a business address on Avenida de Moçambique in Maputo, the company provides transport and distribution solutions tailored to the requirements of public institutions, private businesses and clients requiring reliable logistics support.
Its services include general cargo transportation, pharmaceutical distribution, delivery of supplies to healthcare facilities and the movement of goods requiring particular care during handling and transportation.
These activities place NAA in a sector that supports Mozambique’s economic development by connecting suppliers with customers, facilitating healthcare delivery and ensuring the movement of goods across commercial supply chains.
The company currently employs seven people, including three women and four men. Although relatively modest in size, NAA has ambitions that extend well beyond its present operating capacity, with management emphasizing reliability, operational safety, timely deliveries and customer satisfaction.
Under Chitara’s leadership, the company is also strengthening its internal management processes and working to align its quality management practices with ISO 9001 requirements, reflecting its determination to improve performance and meet the expectations of larger institutional and corporate clients.
Fleet Expansion at the Heart of NAA’s Growth Strategy
For Chitara and her team, the immediate priority is expanding NAA’s vehicle fleet to meet growing demand for transportation and distribution services.
The company intends to combine its own resources with external investment and strategic partnerships to acquire additional vehicles, strengthen operational capacity and serve a broader customer base.
Fleet expansion would enable NAA to pursue larger transport assignments, improve service availability and compete for contracts that may currently exceed its operational capacity.
The company is particularly interested in partnerships with established transport and logistics operators, fleet management specialists, financial institutions and businesses seeking reliable subcontractors for freight and distribution activities.
NAA is also pursuing relationships with public and private institutions requiring transport services, alongside technical partners capable of supporting its quality management and operational improvement objectives.
For prospective investors and commercial partners, the expansion plans present an opportunity to support a locally owned business with established service capabilities and a clear vision for growth.
The challenge, familiar to many African small and medium-sized enterprises, is converting commercial demand and entrepreneurial ambition into the financing, equipment and partnerships required to scale operations.
Linkar-ENH Opens Doors for Mozambican Entrepreneurs
NAA’s participation at African Energy Week formed part of a wider effort to strengthen the presence of Mozambican small and medium-sized enterprises in the country’s expanding energy industry.
The Linkar Project, associated with Empresa Nacional de Hidrocarbonetos (National Hydrocarbons Company of Mozambique, ENH), seeks to equip local businesses with the skills, institutional capacity and commercial connections needed to compete for opportunities in the oil, gas and wider energy supply chain.
The initiative places particular emphasis on improving business readiness, strengthening local content participation and connecting Mozambican enterprises with established industry operators, investors and potential commercial partners.
Under the coordination of Ken McGhee, the programme has emphasized practical business development, access to financing, procurement readiness and stronger connections between local enterprises and industry players.
At AEW 2026, NAA joined a delegation of Mozambican small and medium-sized enterprises participating through the Linkar-ENH initiative, benefiting from exposure to an international audience of energy executives, investors and business leaders.
The African Energy Chamber, under the leadership of Executive Chairman NJ Ayuk and a wider team that includes Verner Ayukegba, has consistently advocated greater African participation in the continent’s energy value chain, with local content development featuring prominently in discussions at the Cape Town gathering.
For businesses such as NAA, the significance of this exposure extends beyond the conference itself. It provides access to potential clients, investors and partners who might otherwise remain beyond the reach of smaller local enterprises.
Transport and logistics companies are particularly relevant to Mozambique’s energy ambitions, given the importance of moving equipment, materials, supplies and personnel across increasingly complex project supply chains.
Although NAA’s existing services extend beyond the energy industry, its transportation and distribution capabilities provide a foundation for pursuing opportunities linked to energy projects, contractors and supporting businesses.
Women Entrepreneurs Finding Their Place in Africa’s Energy Economy
Chitara’s experience in Cape Town also illustrates the importance of giving women entrepreneurs greater visibility in sectors where access to finance, procurement opportunities and professional networks remains a persistent challenge.
Her appreciation for the women she encountered at AEW reflects the value of mentorship, shared experiences and solidarity among entrepreneurs navigating similar obstacles across the continent.
The Linkar initiative’s emphasis on women-led businesses is particularly relevant to this ambition. By connecting entrepreneurs with business development opportunities and industry networks, the programme helps strengthen their prospects of participating in economic opportunities generated by Mozambique’s natural resources.
For Chitara, interacting with accomplished women and business leaders offered reassurance that the challenges facing her company are shared by other entrepreneurs, while reinforcing her determination to pursue its expansion.
Her gratitude to Linkar-ENH also highlights the human dimension of local content development. For an emerging entrepreneur, an introduction to a potential investor, an exchange with an experienced executive or a promising commercial relationship can be as valuable as formal business training.
Her declaration that she realized she was not alone was perhaps the most telling reflection on the experience, underscoring the confidence that comes from seeing other African women overcoming obstacles and building successful enterprises.
From Cape Town Connections to Business Opportunities
As NAA looks beyond African Energy Week 2026, the immediate challenge will be converting the exposure and relationships gained in Cape Town into tangible business opportunities.
The company’s priorities include attracting investment for additional vehicles, securing new transport and distribution contracts, developing partnerships with larger logistics operators and strengthening its quality management systems.
These ambitions reflect a broader challenge facing Mozambique’s private sector: ensuring that the country’s expanding energy industry creates meaningful opportunities for domestic enterprises capable of delivering essential goods and services.
For the African Energy Chamber and Linkar-ENH, the participation of entrepreneurs such as Chitara demonstrates the practical importance of connecting local businesses with international platforms where commercial relationships are forged and investment opportunities explored.
For NAA Transportes e Serviços, Cape Town could prove an important milestone in a much longer business journey. The company has identified its growth priorities, outlined the partnerships it needs and demonstrated its willingness to pursue opportunities beyond its immediate market.
Chitara returned from African Energy Week with renewed confidence, fresh connections and a stronger appreciation of the possibilities available to African women in business. Her next ambition is to translate that encouragement into additional vehicles, stronger partnerships, more contracts and a larger role for NAA in Mozambique’s transport and logistics industry.
For a businesswoman who left Cape Town inspired by the realization that she is not alone, the journey ahead is about more than expanding a fleet. It is about building a stronger Mozambican enterprise, creating opportunities and demonstrating what determined African women entrepreneurs can accomplish when given the platform and partnerships to succeed.