Why is Mozambique disputing $2 billion in costs claimed by TotalEnergies for its LNG project?

Mozambique is disputing the $2 billion because UK-based consultancy Bayphase, which audited the costs, was unable to verify them due to a lack of supporting documentation; as a result, the Mozambican government will not accept TotalEnergies’ estimate.

What is the current status of the TotalEnergies-led Mozambique LNG project’s cost verification and approval process?

The audit—covering over 3,000 transactions—confirmed about $3 billion in verifiable costs incurred during the force majeure halt, but left more than $2 billion unverified; consensus on total costs is required before the government can approve an updated development plan, and TotalEnergies has 15 days to respond to the auditor’s final report.