AGP Executive Report

Digital Transformation Links: Malawi and Ghana are deepening cooperation on digital transformation and public sector innovation after a Malawian delegation visited Ghana’s digital ministry, with plans to share lessons on digital identity, cybersecurity, e-government and skills. Tax Modernisation: Finance Minister Joseph Mwanamveka has launched the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) 2026–2031 Corporate Strategic Plan, urging continuous, professional execution to boost domestic revenue mobilisation. Clean Cooking & Carbon Finance: BURN hosted a Malawi government delegation in Blantyre, highlighting local stove distribution, jobs and authorisation to generate carbon credits under CORSIA. Governance & Service Delivery: A study warns decentralisation gains are at risk from political patronage, weak capacity, delayed transfers and corruption. Public Health Research: A multi-country study reports high stillbirth, preterm birth and neonatal mortality rates at Uganda’s Kawempe Hospital, informing vaccine work relevant to the region. Critical Minerals Shock: Japan faces a rare-earth supply squeeze after Chinese dysprosium and terbium exports fell to zero, underlining global processing bottlenecks. AI Policy & Access: Malawi’s AI policy is framed around a national regulator, with opportunities in agriculture, healthcare and education, but major hurdles in connectivity and skills. El Niño Preparedness: Global experts warn the likely strongest El Niño on record could hit food prices and health, pushing countries to prepare now. Family & Social Tension: DNA paternity testing in Malawi is reported to show about 80% of tested men are not biological fathers, raising custody and inheritance disputes. Electoral Funding: Malawi’s Electoral Commission calls for steady funding between elections so civic and voter education doesn’t start only near polling day. Roads & Local Oversight: The Roads Fund Administration commits K54bn for road rehabilitation across seven councils, stressing quality control and reliable fuel levy disbursements. Agriculture Extension Underfunding: Extension services are said to get 1% or less of the agriculture budget, threatening output as El Niño looms. Ebola Border Response: ECSA-HC launches a six-month emergency push to strengthen detection and reporting along DRC-linked trade and migration corridors, including Malawi.

El Niño Watch: A potentially record-breaking El Niño is gathering strength for 2026–27, with global health and food agencies urging countries to prepare for long-lasting impacts. Agriculture Under Pressure: Malawi’s extension services are badly underfunded (about 1% of the agri budget), leaving a huge farmer-to-extension-worker gap just as El Niño threatens yields. Digital Malawi: A new GSMA report says Malawi has strong 4G coverage but a massive usage gap—about 80% of people remain offline—warning reforms could unlock MWK 1.1 trillion and 490,000 jobs by 2030. AI Policy: Malawi’s 2026 AI policy moves toward a national AI regulator, aiming to guide AI use in agriculture, health and education while pushing data protection and local capacity. Public Health Security: ECSA-HC has launched a six-month Ebola preparedness push along DRC-linked trade and migration corridors, targeting 33 border points with faster detection and isolation. Governance & Integrity: Malawi’s ACB Director-General search has stalled again, raising concerns about the strength of anti-corruption institutions. Local Tech & Learning: IT experts question a return to manual FISP coupons, arguing it could slow digital service progress and weaken beneficiary controls. Health Innovation: WEHI researchers report a rapid 15-minute iron deficiency blood test that could help clinics where labs are limited. Science & Society: DNA paternity testing in Malawi shows around 80% of tested men are not biological fathers, fueling family disputes and legal battles.

Digital Inclusion & Growth: A new GSMA report says Malawi has 87% 4G coverage but only 12.5% internet use, with 80% of people offline—yet reforms could unlock MWK 1.1 trillion and 490,000 jobs by 2030. AI Policy: Malawi’s 2026 AI policy is pushing a national AI regulator, with plans for AI in agriculture, healthcare and education plus data protection and capacity building. Public Services & Tech Delivery: IT experts warn that reverting FISP to manual coupons could slow digital service progress and open loopholes. Governance & Integrity: Malawi’s long search for a substantive ACB Director-General raises concerns about institutional strength in the fight against corruption. Roads & Execution: RFA commits K54bn for six months of road rehabilitation across seven councils, urging strict quality control. Health Security: ECSA-HC launches a six-month Ebola preparedness push along DRC trade and migration corridors, strengthening border surveillance and rapid response. Agriculture Resilience: Extension services are underfunded (about 1% of the sector budget), threatening output as El Niño looms. Mining for Jobs: Government plans to help small-scale gold miners access machinery via talks with banks and lending institutions. Science & Research: WEHI researchers develop a rapid 15-minute iron deficiency blood test for point-of-care use in resource-limited settings. Human Stories: A MUBAS student died after a father-daughter reunion turned tragic in Blantyre; meanwhile, DNA testing claims show about 80% of tested men aren’t biological fathers, fueling family disputes.

Gold Mining Support: Malawi’s Mining Minister Thoko Tembo says cooperatives are being pushed to access machinery and loans, after visiting Nanjiri Mining Cooperative in Lilongwe—aiming to boost gold output and earnings. Social Protection Funding Risk: A new study warns the Social Cash Transfer Programme is effectively donor-driven, with development partners funding about 95% of costs since 2016/17, raising sustainability and national control concerns. Digital Access Push: At the Digital Africa Summit, GSMA reports about 80% of Malawians remain offline despite strong network coverage, and says reforms could unlock MWK 1.1 trillion and 490,000 jobs by 2030; MACRA also argues the network is there, but affordability, devices, and digital skills are the bottlenecks. AI Policy Update: Malawi’s 2026 AI policy proposes a national AI regulatory body and targets AI use in agriculture, healthcare and education, alongside data protection and capacity building. Health & Tech at Borders: ECSA-HC launches a six-month Ebola preparedness push along DRC-linked trade and migration corridors, strengthening early detection and cross-border reporting. Education Lifeline: The Jane Ansah Foundation gives a University of Malawi student support worth over K1 million to help him return to campus. Public Procurement Alarm: Governance experts urge PPDA to blacklist Mahmood Azhar Chaudhry and seek refunds over alleged fraudulent MAREP cable deals.

Education Support: The Jane Ansah Foundation gave University of Malawi student Kingsley James Tembo (Library and Information Sciences) over K1 million for food, transport and study needs, helping him return as the university reopens on Aug 31. Digital Inclusion: A GSMA report says Malawi’s 4G coverage is strong (87%) but internet use is weak (about 12.5%); closing the usage gap could unlock MWK 1.1 trillion and 490,000 jobs by 2030. Public Service Tech: IT experts questioned a return to manual FISP coupons, warning it could slow digital delivery and weaken anti-corruption gains. Health Security: ECSA-HC launched a six-month Ebola preparedness push at 33 border points along DRC trade and migration corridors, using faster detection, isolation and cross-border notification. HIV Prevention: Malawi reported 272,225 cumulative PrEP initiations since 2021, with 122,488 actively on PrEP and 1,392 already started on twice-yearly injectable Lenacapavir. Healthcare Equipment: St Luke’s Anglican Hospital in Zomba is set to start dialysis on Nov 1 after receiving four machines, aiming to ease patient travel across regions. Governance & Procurement: Malawi governance experts urged PPDA to blacklist Mahmood Azhar Chaudhry and firms over alleged fraudulent MAREP cable deals. Research & Innovation: WEHI researchers developed a rapid 15-minute point-of-care iron deficiency blood test for use in resource-limited settings.

Ebola Preparedness: ECSA Health Community has launched a six-month emergency push at 33 border points along the DRC frontier, including Malawi, with digital surveillance, rapid lab transport and cross-border notification to stop imported Ebola cases. Digital Divide, Big Numbers: Malawi’s digital access gap remains severe: GSMA reports about 80% of people live within mobile broadband coverage but don’t use mobile internet, with only 12.5% active users—yet reforms could unlock MWK 1.1 trillion in value and create 490,000 jobs by 2030. Dialysis Comes to Zomba: St Luke’s Anglican Hospital in Malosa, Zomba, is set to start dialysis on November 1 after receiving four machines, aiming to reduce costly travel for kidney patients. HIV Prevention Update: Malawi has expanded PrEP to 272,225 cumulative initiations, with 122,488 actively on PrEP and 1,392 already started on twice-yearly injectable Lenacapavir. Rare Earth Finance: The US DFC committed US$62.8m to rare-earth projects in Malawi and others, but Reuters notes private investors still avoid the sector due to high risk and pricing concerns. Science & Heritage: An international team helped safeguard Africa’s oldest cremation site, with a University of Oklahoma researcher involved in studying 9,500-year-old remains. Local Media Legacy: Gazette Media backed the posthumous launch of veteran journalist Grey Mang’anda’s autobiography, “Images of My Journalism Story,” preserving Malawi’s media history.

Digital Access Push: GSMA says Malawi’s 87% 4G coverage isn’t translating into use—only about 12.5% of Malawians access the internet, with the gap costing growth potential; the report estimates MWK 1.1 trillion in extra value and 490,000 jobs by 2030 if device affordability, digital literacy, and policy barriers are tackled. Connectivity Funding Update: Malawi is still waiting for clearer details on Japan’s $7bn connectivity pledge tied to the Nacala Corridor, with officials saying the package is Africa-wide and not earmarked only for Nacala. Universal Digital Access: MACRA and ICT Minister Shadric Namalomba argue the “digital divide” is now driven more by smartphone costs, foreign exchange constraints, and limited local content than by network coverage. Health Tech in Zomba: St Luke’s Anglican Hospital in Zomba is set to start dialysis on November 1 after receiving four machines, aiming to bring kidney treatment closer to Eastern Region patients. HIV Prevention Scale-Up: Malawi reports 272,225 people cumulatively initiated on PrEP since 2021, with 122,488 actively on it by June 2026 and 1,392 already started on twice-yearly injectable Lenacapavir. Rare Earth Finance: The US DFC commits $62.8m to rare-earth projects including Malawi, but private investors remain cautious over risk and pricing pressures. Agriculture & Climate: A regional brief urges Malawi to redesign farm input support for El Niño conditions, warning one-size fertiliser plans may fail across agro-ecological zones. Youth & Jobs: Government and banks urge young people to shift from job-seeking to building enterprises in sectors like ICT, agriculture, mining, tourism, and manufacturing.

Digital Divide Push: Malawi’s ICT minister Shadric Namalomba says the country’s digital gap is now driven more by affordability, digital literacy and foreign-currency constraints than by network coverage, citing GSMA figures of 87% 4G coverage but only about 12.5% internet use, and promising an action plan on taxes, mobile-money levies, FX access and content. Mobile Internet Value: A new GSMA report says expanding mobile internet could unlock MWK 1.1 trillion in added economic value and create 490,000 jobs by 2030, even as about 80% of people live within broadband coverage but don’t use mobile internet. HIV Prevention Scale-Up: Malawi reports 272,225 people cumulatively initiated on PrEP since 2021, with 122,488 actively on it by June 2026, and 1,392 already started on twice-yearly injectable Lenacapavir. Malaria Progress: WHO highlights RTS,S vaccine impact across Africa and notes a new pre-qualified anti-malarial treatment for newborns and young infants, alongside study results showing mortality reductions after RTS,S rollout. Rare-Earth Finance Watch: The US DFC commits $62.8m to rare-earth projects in Malawi and others, but private investors stay cautious over risks and pricing pressures. Health Tech Research: A new rapid blood test for iron deficiency is being evaluated for Sub-Saharan Africa, aiming to improve maternal health screening where lab access is limited. Land Restoration Talks: Malawi is represented at UNCCD talks in Mongolia focused on turning land restoration resolutions into funding and action, as degradation costs the world nearly $900bn annually. Agriculture Under El Niño: Malawi is urged to redesign farm input support by region ahead of possible El Niño impacts, warning that one-size fertiliser strategies may fail across agro-ecological zones. Homecoming Spotlight: Malawi’s Scorchers return after a historic WAFCON run, qualifying for the first FIFA Women’s World Cup and sparking a national celebration at Kamuzu International Airport.

Mobile Connectivity Boost: A GSMA report says closing Malawi’s mobile internet gap could unlock MWK 1.1 trillion in extra value by 2030 and create 490,000 jobs. HIV Prevention Scale-Up: Malawi’s PrEP programme has reached 272,225 cumulative initiations since 2021, with 122,488 actively on PrEP by June 2026 and 1,392 already started on twice-yearly injectable Lenacapavir. Rare-Earth Race: The US DFC has committed US$62.8m to rare-earth projects across southern Africa, including Malawi, as private investors stay cautious amid China-dominated supply risks. Digital Justice Access: Malawi’s Gender and Justice Unit is using toll-free and online tools to bring legal help closer to rural communities, echoing similar tech-led justice models across the region. Agriculture Under El Niño: Research briefs urge Malawi to redesign farm input support by agro-ecological zone ahead of El Niño, warning one-size fertiliser plans may fail in the south. Health Innovation: Researchers report a rapid blood test that can detect iron deficiency in minutes, aiming to improve diagnosis in low-resource settings. Youth & Tech Push: Bank and youth summit voices are urging young Malawians to build technologies and enterprises, not just chase jobs. Football Homecoming: The Scorchers’ WAFCON success is celebrated at KIA with a national welcome, highlighting how data-driven coaching and performance systems are gaining ground.

Women in Tech & Leadership: At the 2026 CAMFED Association summit in Accra, UniMAC’s Dr Obaapanin Oforiwaa Adu urged African women to go beyond degrees and become creators of digital solutions, not just users. Youth Jobs & Entrepreneurship: Malawi’s National Youth Summit in Lilongwe heard calls for young people to shift from job-seeking to job-creating, with government pointing to youth funds and support for business growth. Climate-Smart Farming Inputs: Research briefs ahead of possible El Niño effects recommend Malawi redesign farm input subsidies by agro-ecological zone—fertiliser may work better in the north than the south—plus stronger early warning and food support. Health Systems & NCDs: African policymakers urged faster integration of noncommunicable disease services, medicines and diagnostics into Universal Health Coverage reforms. Cancer Care Upgrade (Regional): Tanzania’s Ocean Road Cancer Institute (ORCI) plans major cancer surgery in October to reduce referrals and improve continuity of care. Innovation & Scholarships: CDH Investment Bank pledged K19.2m to support LUANAR innovation and scholarships, including Falling Walls Lab winners. Science in Malawi’s Waters: A new study using deep-diving fly larvae in Lake Malawi challenges the idea that ocean pressure blocks insect life, with potential material science spin-offs. Maize Prices Watch: IFPRI reports Malawi’s retail maize price rose 8% in July, but remains far below last year’s levels.

Satellite & early learning: The Unlimited Child and Ackermans opened a regional Impact Hub and Centre of Excellence at Ackermans’ Hammarsdale distribution centre in KZN, with coaches set to support hundreds of ECD centres and tens of thousands of children across the region. Agriculture breeding: CIP and partners released new potato and sweetpotato varieties in Ethiopia and Malawi, aiming to cut climate stress and disease losses while meeting processing and market needs. Public health research: Tanzania launched the PRORota clinical trial to test whether probiotics can boost rotavirus vaccine protection, reduce diarrhoea and lower antibiotic use, with researchers including Malawi-based teams. AI in education: Malawi’s Education, Science and Technology Minister Bright Msaka urged responsible, inclusive AI use in higher education—supporting learning and research without widening inequalities. Digital access data: Malawi’s NSO will run a national ICT survey in the next three months with MACRA to map phone, internet, digital finance and cybersecurity use. Food prices: Maize retail prices rose 8% in July to K791/kg, though imports helped stabilise supply; experts warn of possible further pressure. Energy resilience: Malawi is moving ahead with a $20m battery storage push to reduce blackouts as climate shocks strain the grid. Youth leadership & jobs: Malawi’s National Youth Summit highlighted youth leadership appointments and a reformed CDF push meant to turn constituencies into youth jobs engines. Tech for women: Taiwan-backed WUCWO launched a digital empowerment project for women leaders across Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi and Ghana.

Climate & Food Prices: A “super El Niño” is forecast to peak with central Pacific sea-surface temperatures above the 2015-16 record, and central bankers warn it could push food inflation through 2027—bad news for import-dependent markets like Malawi. Staple Food Watch: Malawi’s average retail maize price rose 8% in July to K791/kg (from K731/kg in June), with the Southern Region hit hardest at K866/kg; IFPRI says imports helped cap further spikes. Youth & Jobs via CDF: At Malawi’s 2026 National Youth Summit, Local Government Minister Ben Malunga Phiri said reformed Constituency Development Fund (CDF) is now meant to drive youth-led wealth creation, with K5bn allocated to each constituency and calls for more youth firms to engage. Digital Malawi: The National Statistical Office will run a new ICT survey in the next three months with MACRA to measure access and use of phones, internet, digital finance, cybersecurity awareness and child online protection. AI in Education: Malawi’s Education Minister Bright Msaka urged responsible, inclusive AI use in higher education—supporting learning and research while guarding against cheating, misinformation and privacy risks. Energy Resilience: Malawi is moving toward battery energy storage to reduce blackouts as climate shocks stress the grid. Innovation & Research: CDH Investment Bank pledged K19m to back the Falling Walls innovation hub at Luanar, supporting early-stage pitches in biotech and other applied ideas. Health & Safety: Environmental health professionals are meeting to discuss how AI can strengthen public health surveillance and outbreak response in Malawi. Sports & Science Culture: Malawi’s WAFCON debut run is linked to technical support, while MUST launched an Arts Boot Camp to connect art with science and practical solutions.

Satellite Connectivity: Airtel Africa and Starlink launched a direct-to-phone satellite service in DR Congo, letting compatible phones connect without a dish—an important leap for coverage in remote areas. Road Finance & Infrastructure: Malawi is using “road bonds” to borrow upfront and repay via fuel levies, speeding projects like the Area 49 dual carriageway and Area 18 interchange. Food Prices & Farming Stress: Maize prices rose 8% in July to K791/kg, with Ifpri warning elevated prices may persist; separate reporting highlights how soil degradation, fertilizer costs and rain unreliability keep millions trapped in low-output farming. Energy Resilience: Malawi is betting on a $20m battery energy storage system to cut blackouts as climate shocks strain a flood- and drought-prone grid. Health & Education Pressure Points: A private hospital in Blantyre reportedly converted part of its premises into student hostels; meanwhile, Malawi’s JC and Standard 8 results show boys outperforming girls, widening a long-running gender gap. Innovation & Skills: CDH Investment Bank backed a K19m boost for a Luanar innovation hub, while an AI-focused push urges Malawi to build digital foundations to use AI for services like health and agriculture. Public Health Tech: Environmental health professionals are meeting to discuss how AI can improve disease detection and outbreak response. Regional Tech & Research: CIMMYT brought wheat breeders from Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi and Zimbabwe together to strengthen modern, data-driven breeding tools.

AI for development: The World Bank says AI could help Malawi and other developing countries achieve in a decade what may take a century, but only if they urgently invest in electricity, connectivity, skills and digital infrastructure. Innovation funding: CDH Investment Bank pledged over K19 million to the Falling Walls Foundation innovation hub at Luanar, backing young innovators to pitch and scale solutions. STEM and learning outcomes: MANEB released 2026 Junior Certificate and Standard 8 results, with boys outperforming girls in both exams. Health tech and prevention: Malawi has rolled out injectable lenacapavir for HIV prevention, reaching 2,000 people so far, with rising demand especially among youths. Water and sanitation push: Government launched a Presidential Compact on WASH, aiming for safer water access of 85% rural and 100% urban by 2030 under a more coordinated national programme. Transport infrastructure finance: Malawi is using road bonds to “front-load” road construction, repaid gradually through fuel levy proceeds. Agriculture trade challenge: A Malawi research body warns the country may fail to fully benefit from China’s duty-free access due to low productivity, certification delays, limited processing and high logistics costs. Connectivity leap: Airtel Africa and Starlink launched Africa’s first satellite-to-phone service in the DRC, enabling compatible phones to connect where coverage is weak. Rare earth drilling: AuKing Mining reports deeper diamond drilling at its Tundulu rare earth project in Malawi, extending carbonatite intersections to about 510.6m and keeping geology open at depth.

Innovation & Education: CDH Investment Bank has committed over K19 million to support the Falling Walls Foundation innovation hub at Luanar, backing student pitching and a push to incubate scalable ideas from Malawi’s universities. Health Tech & Prevention: Malawi has started injectable lenacapavir PrEP, reaching about 2,000 people so far, with demand rising—especially among youths—offering longer protection than daily pills. Connectivity for Remote Areas: Airtel Africa and Starlink launched Africa’s first satellite-to-phone service in DRC, letting compatible phones send SMS and selected light-data services without a dish. Agriculture & Climate Resilience: The Beekon Hive System uses a floating, modular design to keep entire bee colonies safe during floods, using recycled materials and standard frames. Water & Sanitation Planning: Malawi set 2030 WASH ambitions under a Presidential Compact, targeting safer water access of 85% rural and 100% urban through a coordinated national programme. STEM Results: MANEB released 2026 JC and Standard 8 results, with boys outperforming girls in both exams. Border Pressure in the Region: South Africa reported 4,229 undocumented interceptions (Apr–Jul) and nearly 90,000 repatriations by early August, underscoring ongoing migration and border-control strain. Rare Earth Drilling Update: AuKing Mining says diamond drilling at its Tundulu rare earth project in Malawi extended a first hole to about 510.6m, with carbonatite geology still open at depth.

Education & Gender Gap: MANEB released 2026 Junior Certificate (JC) and Standard 8 results, with boys outperforming girls again. Standard 8 pass rate stood at 81.17% (198,903 of 245,048), while at PSLCE level girls passed at 76.94% versus boys at 85.69%, and the same pattern repeated at JC level. Connectivity & Space Tech: Airtel Africa and Elon Musk’s Starlink commercially launched Africa’s first satellite-to-phone service in DR Congo, letting compatible LTE Android phones connect directly to satellites for SMS and selected light-data apps like WhatsApp. HIV Prevention Rollout: Malawi’s injectable PrEP (lenacapavir) has reached 2,000 people since rollout on July 1, with uptake rising among youths aged 25–35. Water & Sanitation Push: Government launched a Presidential Compact on WASH, aiming for safe water access of 85% in rural areas and 100% in urban areas by 2030, under one national programme. Tax & Digital Resilience: Malawi Revenue Authority says upgraded customs systems and a secondary data centre/disaster-recovery setup are reducing interruptions and improving revenue collection. STEM Scholarships: Illovo Sugar Malawi disbursed K71.3 million in scholarships to 31 young women at MUST for 2026/2027 STEM programmes. Governance & Accountability: A push for an “open Parliament” in Malawi highlights gaps in citizen access to parliamentary information and decision-making. Agriculture Pressure: Malawi maize faces price stress as cheaper imports from Zambia and below-average local production threaten household budgets.