Malawi Govt Strategise to Unlock Digital Economy

Malawi Exclusive

Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Decentralization, Joseph Mwanamvekha, says government treat digital infrastructure as core economic infrastructure towards unlocking jobs, trade and more efficient public services.

Speaking at the GSMA Digital Africa Summit Malawi on Thursday, 20 August 2026 at Bingu International Convention Centre in Lilongwe, Mwanamvekha said digital transformation is “no longer a matter of aspiration. It is a matter of economic necessity.”

The Summit marked the official launch of GSMA’s report, Driving Digital Transformation of the Economy in Malawi: Opportunities, Policy Recommendations and the Role of Mobile.

Mwanamvekha said Malawi has made significant progress on networks.
“Today, 92% of our population lives within reach of 3G coverage and 87% within 4G coverage. Yet only around 12.5% are unique mobile internet users,” he said.

The Information and Communications sector grew by 6.2% in 2025 and contributes 6.4% to GDP. It is now among the country’s top five sectors.

“Our objective is not simply to connect Malawi,” Mwanamvekha said.
“It is to use connectivity to transform how Malawi produces, trades, learns, governs and creates jobs.”

He said the national budget alone cannot fund the digital agenda.
Government will pursue blended finance through public-private partnerships, concessional loans, guarantees and development finance.

“Government’s role is not to finance every tower or cable. Our role is to create the conditions for sustainable investment,” he said.

Mwanamvekha stressed fiscal discipline must accompany innovation. All major projects will be rigorously appraised.

He said policy predictability is key to attracting investment.
“Investors can price risk. What investors find much harder to price is uncertainty,” he said.

“Digital connectivity must be planned and financed like roads and energy,” Mwanamvekha said.
“Our ambition is a Malawi where connectivity is not a privilege for a few, but a productive asset for all.”

Minister of Information, Hon. Shadric Namalomba, said infrastructure coverage is strong but access remains low due to cost, skills and language.

“We have scored very well on digital infrastructure,” Namalomba said.
“About 92% of our people are covered by 3G, and about 87% by 4G. That is remarkable, and we are above average in Africa.”

“But the problem is internet penetration. As of now, we have about 12.5% of our people accessing internet,” he said.

“Smartphones are very expensive for the common person. Digital literacy is very low. And most online content is in English, yet most of us speak Chichewa,” Namalomba said.

He said with investment in cheaper devices and digital literacy, internet penetration could reach 30% by 2030.
That could double the ICT sector’s current 6.5% contribution to GDP.

Namalomba said government will work with industry to develop an action plan.
“The report that has been launched today is an eye opener. From here we are going to come with an action plan and a strategy,” he said.

Priority areas will include reviewing surtaxes, VAT on devices, and mobile money levies.
It will also look at prioritizing forex access for the telecoms sector, expanding digital literacy for youth, and promoting innovation in local languages.

GSMA estimates that implementing the recommendations could increase 4G coverage to 99%.
It could connect 810,000 more internet users, generate MK1.1 trillion in economic value, and support 490,000 jobs.

In an interview, Caroline Mbugua, Senior Director, Public Policy and Communications at GSMA Africa Office, said the report supports Malawi’s Vision 2063 and National Digital Transformation Strategy 2025-2030.

“This report does an assessment of the digital strategy of the nation,” Mbugua said.
“It creates recommendations of interventions that can accelerate the realization of the digital strategy.”

She confirmed coverage is no longer the challenge, with 87% on 4G and 92% on 3G.
“The challenge we have now is adoption. It is lagging behind at 12.5%. Up to 80% of the population has access but is not using services,” Mbugua said.

Mbugua said key barriers are affordability of services and devices, followed by digital literacy, trust, and relevant content.

She highlighted five key reforms, including designating telecommunications as critical national infrastructure to prioritize forex access.
“The telecommunication sector is capital intensive, and a lot of the material we use is from outside the country. When you don’t have access to forex, it complicates the cost of delivering this service,” she said.

The Summit also featured remarks from MACRA, Airtel Malawi, TNM and other industry leaders.