Fault structure as an important carrier of crustal deformation, its spatial distribution characteristics are of crucial significance for the study of regional tectonic evolution and the analysis of their influence on hydrocarbon accumulation control in petroliferous basins. Based on the gravity and magnetic anomaly data, this paper mainly uses the improved hyperbolic tangent function of total horizontal gradient (IHRHG) fault recognition technique to identify the distribution characteristics of the faults in the Zambezi Delta Basin, and the Euler deconvolution method is adopted to calculate the apparent depth of these faults. An improved fracture influence factor (IFIF) is proposed, and the petroleum exploration potential of each structural unit in the basin is predicted. This study reveals that there are 12 ultra-crustal faults and several crustal faults developed in the Zambezi Delta Basin, and an extensional-shear composite fault system dominated by extensional and strike-slip faults is constructed. The fault strikes show obvious directionality, the near SN trending faults are the most developed, followed by the NNE, NE, NNW, and NEE directions. Faults in the NW, NWW, and near EW directions are less developed. The apparent depths of the faults are concentrated between 2.5 and 10 km. Among them, the apparent depths of most ultra-crustal faults range from 2.5 to 10 km, and those of most crustal faults range from 2.5 to 7.5 km. The distribution of the IFIF values in the basin shows a zonal characteristic, which the western depression has an IFIF value of 0.35 to 1.0, the Beira High has an IFIF value of 0.0 to 0.35, and the IFIF value of the "eastern block" of the basin approaches zero. The study found that the coastal fault F3 extends from the southern margin of the Rovuma Basin southwestward to the Limpopo boundary fault zone, forming an important tectonic boundary in the basin - mountain transition zone. The ultra-crustal fault F4 extends westward from the Mozambique Channel and terminates on the west side of the Beira High, controlling the sedimentary differentiation between the Beira High and the western depression. The ocean-continent transition zone fault with a NEE-trending distribution in the central part of the "eastern block" of the basin have been identified, and The Prince Edward fault zone extends northward into the western depression and is truncated by the extensional fault F4. In addition, the hydrocarbon exploration potential of each structural unit in the basin was predicted based on the IFIF value, and the study suggests that the western depression and the Limpopo Plain have good hydrocarbon exploration potential. Further, using IFIF=0.35 as a marker, we delineated the favorable hydrocarbon exploration areas in the Zambezi Delta Basin. This study identifies the characteristics of the planar positions and apparent depths of the faults in the Zambezi Delta Basin, providing important geological constraints for the study of regional tectonic evolution. At the same time, they offer crucial tectonic evidence for deep-water oil and gas exploration.