On April 16th, 2026, I had the pleasure of hosting two remarkable visitors from the United States: Mr. Asong, originally from Cameroon, and Jonathan, with Rwandan roots. Funny how life works — in an unexpected turn of events, they found themselves in Mozambique, ready to explore Maputo.
Hello, my name is Romão Nenane, a tour guide based in Maputo, Mozambique. This experience was brought together through a collaboration between Maputo Trips and Nenane Tours — two local companies committed to showcasing the soul of the city.
Let me start with a small confession: I arrived a bit late. My apologies once again, gentlemen. The ongoing fuel shortage created long queues and heavy traffic — one of those situations where the city reminds you who’s really in charge. That said, once we got going, the tour quickly found its rhythm.
What made this experience truly stand out was not just the places we visited, but the depth of our conversations. As we walked through downtown Maputo, we kept circling back to one big question: “With so many natural resources, what exactly is holding Africa back?”
Now, that’s not your average tour question. Being a tour guide constantly exposes me to new ideas — and sometimes to things that genuinely catch me off guard. For instance, during our conversation, I learned about the alleged influence of second-hand clothing networks in Africa and how they might be affecting the growth of local textile industries. Let’s just say… that gave me something to think about.
One of the highlights of the day was our visit to the Central Market of Maputo. There, we had the chance to try local fruits like massala and ata. And to their surprise, Mozambican avocados? Absolutely massive compared to what they had seen elsewhere.
At one point, some of the vendors — always lively and full of personality — looked at Mr. Asong and joked in Changana: “Muisa lwei wa hefemula” (loosely meaning: “This man is clearly doing well in life.”) We all burst into laughter. Let’s just say Mr. Asong has a presence you can’t ignore.
Time flew by — what felt like five minutes was actually three hours. As the saying goes: “Time flies when you’re having a good time.”
Unfortunately, I couldn’t join them later at Bar Xima. Something tells me we would’ve had an unforgettable night. And with Jonathan around… well, let’s just say he wasn’t exactly going unnoticed during the tour. We’ll save that story for next time.
Until then — as we say here: A Luta Continua.