Lei n.º 2/2008, de 27 de Fevereiro, Lei do Sistema Nacional de Pagamentos

Law 2/2008 of 27 February (the National Payment System Law) is the principal statute governing payment systems in Mozambique and the legal basis for the Banco de Moçambique's (BM) regulation, oversight and operation of the national payment system. The law establishes the framework for the organisation, functioning, supervision and oversight of the payment system and confers on the central bank the authority to regulate, license, oversee and operate payment, clearing and settlement systems and to set the rules for participants and payment instruments. It applies to credit institutions, payment service provider companies (including electronic money institutions, fund-transfer institutions and payment aggregators), system operators and other participants, as well as to the payment instruments and infrastructures through which payments are processed and settled. Core elements include the requirement for system operators and participants to be authorised by the Banco de Moçambique, compliance with operational, technical and risk-management standards set by the Bank, and adherence to oversight and reporting obligations; the law also provides for settlement finality and the enforceability of netting arrangements in recognised systems in order to limit systemic risk. The Banco de Moçambique exercises oversight of systemically important systems, may issue subsidiary instruments (Avisos and Circulares) giving detailed effect to the law, and has enforcement and sanctioning powers. Law 2/2008 is the umbrella under which the Bank has built Mozambique's modern payment infrastructure, including the recent Instant Payment System of Mozambique (SPIM) introduced by Notice 1/GBM/2026, which is expressly grounded in the competencies conferred by this law. While the licensing of electronic money institutions and other payment service provider companies is now framed by the Law on Credit Institutions and Financial Companies (Law 20/2020) and its regulation, Law 2/2008 remains the foundational payment-system statute and is in force.

1. 1Establishes the framework for the organisation, functioning, supervision and oversight of Mozambique's national payment system, with the Banco de Moçambique as regulator and overseer
2. 2Requires system operators and participants (including e-money institutions and payment service providers) to be authorised by the central bank
3. 3Authorises the BM to set operational, technical and risk-management standards and to issue subsidiary Avisos and Circulares
4. 4Provides for settlement finality and enforceability of netting in recognised systems
5. 5Confers oversight of systemically important systems and enforcement/sanctioning powers
6. 6Serves as the legal basis for the Instant Payment System of Mozambique (SPIM), Notice 1/GBM/2026