Second-quarter 2026 figures for Mayotte make grim reading: unemployment jumped 17.2% year-on-year, imports hit a record €325 million despite falling volumes, and construction is in freefall. The business-climate indicator dropped 5.1 points to 101.3, signalling a widespread wait-and-see posture among business owners.
Construction in crisis, retail on pause
The construction sector — historically Mayotte's engine — is experiencing a « sharp collapse in activity », according to Mayotte Hebdo. Payment delays are mounting, order books are emptying and several building firms are reporting cash-flow difficulties. Retail, after several quarters of decline, is stabilising with difficulty, while services show modest weakness despite theoretically solid underlying conditions.
Inflation at 2%, energy up 16.4%
Overall inflation stands at 2% in Q2 2026, but the price structure reveals particularly severe pressure on lower-income households: energy costs surged 16.4% and transport costs rose 3.7%. Imports reached €325 million — a record — despite a 10.8% fall in volumes, meaning import prices have spiked, further squeezing purchasing power.
Youth and women bearing the brunt
Job-seeker registrations in category A rose 9% quarterly and 17.2% year-on-year. Under-25s account for a disproportionate share of new registrations with the employment agency. In a territory where more than half the population is under 18, this is a particularly alarming signal for medium-term social stability.
Why it matters
Mayotte carries structural vulnerabilities — import dependency, mass unemployment, migration pressure — in a global environment where geopolitical tensions are pushing oil prices to $90-100 a barrel. The Q2 2026 deterioration is not cyclical: it reflects entrenched imbalances that neither public funds nor a revival in public procurement will fix without a deep transformation of the local economic fabric.