AGP Executive Report

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.

WASH Push: Malawi launched a Presidential Compact on WASH, aiming to coordinate water and sanitation efforts under one national programme and raise safe water access to 85% rural and 100% urban by 2030. Connectivity Leap: Airtel Africa and Starlink commercially launched satellite-to-phone service in DRC, letting compatible smartphones connect directly to satellites for SMS and light data without a dish. HIV Prevention Uptake: Malawi’s rollout of injectable lenacapavir reached 2,000 people, with rising demand—especially among youths—alongside continued oral PrEP use. Digital Tax Resilience: Malawi Revenue Authority said upgraded customs systems and a secondary data centre are improving continuity and reducing queues, supported by World Bank-funded ICT upgrades. STEM Scholarships: Illovo Sugar Malawi disbursed K71.3 million in scholarships to 31 young women at MUST for 2026/27 STEM studies. Governance & Accountability: Calls for an “open Parliament” focus on making parliamentary processes more accessible and transparent to citizens. Food Security Pressure: Maize prices are expected to rise sharply, with cheaper imports and production gaps adding strain on household budgets. Regional Tech Diplomacy: Malawi-China partnership set up a new School of Artificial Intelligence at the University of Hebron to build local AI skills. Public Money Scrutiny: CSOs criticised delays in disbursing the expanded K5 billion Constituency Development Fund, questioning whether the performance model matches available funding. Health Systems Across Borders: A report highlights gaps in cross-border data sharing and treatment continuity for Mozambican patients seeking care in Malawi.

WASH Drive: Malawi launched a Presidential Compact on WASH in Lilongwe, aiming to boost safe water and sanitation access by 2030—targeting 85% rural and 100% urban safe water—by bringing institutions, private players and partners under one national programme. Digital Revenue Resilience: Malawi Revenue Authority says a secondary data centre for disaster recovery, new power backups at border stations, and upgrades to Asycuda customs systems are reducing downtime, queues and processing delays. AI Education Push: Malawi-China partnership opened a new School of Artificial Intelligence at the University of Hebron in Lilongwe to train AI professionals and expand digital research capacity. STEM Scholarships: Illovo Sugar Malawi disbursed K71.3 million to 31 young women at MUST for 2026/27 STEM studies through the Prof. Address Malata Endowment Fund. Connectivity in Remote Areas: Airtel Africa and Starlink commercially launched satellite-to-mobile service in DR Congo, enabling compatible phones to get messaging and light data in non-terrestrial coverage. Health & Care Gaps: A study highlights how evidence-based nutritional protocols and nursing critical thinking can improve outcomes for critically ill patients. Agriculture Pressure: Reports warn Malawi maize prices may rise sharply as cheaper imports and production shortfalls bite household budgets. Cybersecurity & Trust: At a CPA Africa meeting in Lilongwe, parliaments were urged to strengthen cybersecurity and tackle AI-amplified disinformation to protect democratic trust. Migration & Trafficking: Malawi and Ethiopia signed a pact to fight cross-border trafficking networks, while calls grow for a coordinated AU-led response to online scam forced-labour compounds.

WASH Push: Malawi launched a Presidential Compact on WASH in Lilongwe, aiming to lift safe water access to 85% in rural areas and 100% in urban areas by 2030, with a single national programme to improve coordination and financing. Anti-Trafficking Pact: Malawi and Ethiopia signed a cross-border agreement to tackle human trafficking gangs, with plans to share intelligence and coordinate operations as criminals increasingly use technology. Open Parliament Debate: A push for an “open Parliament” is gaining traction in Malawi, focusing on transparency, citizen participation and how technology can help close accountability gaps. Digital Customs Resilience: Malawi Revenue Authority says a backup data centre, power upgrades and improved customs systems are reducing downtime and cutting delays at border stations. AI for Skills: Malawi-China partnership set up a new School of Artificial Intelligence at the University of Hebron in Lilongwe to train more AI professionals. Satellite Connectivity: Airtel Africa and Starlink commercially launched satellite-to-mobile service in DR Congo, enabling SMS and light-data apps on compatible phones. STEM Scholarships: Illovo Sugar Malawi disbursed K71.3 million to 31 young women at MUST for 2026/27 STEM studies via an endowment fund. Health & Borders: A report highlights gaps in cross-border care continuity for Mozambican patients using Malawi health services. Migration Reality: Stories from Malawians returning from South Africa show the human cost of deportations and anti-migrant violence.

WAfCON Impact: Malawi Scorchers’ historic run to the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations final is already being framed as a blueprint for women’s football investment, with the team securing a first-ever FIFA Women’s World Cup Brazil 2027 spot. Satellite Connectivity: Airtel Africa and Starlink have launched satellite-to-mobile service commercially in DR Congo, enabling compatible phones to use light-data apps and SMS without special equipment. Language AI for Health: LINGUA Africa has funded 26 projects across 50+ African languages, with healthcare the biggest focus, including work on speech and clinical AI resources. Pensions & Governance: Old Mutual Malawi says it will keep strengthening pension administration and trustee support as it opened the 2026 Pension Trustees Conference in Mangochi. Tax Systems Resilience: Malawi Revenue Authority reports upgrades to a secondary data centre, power backup and customs software improvements to cut downtime and reduce queues. STEM Scholarships: Illovo Sugar Malawi disbursed K71.3 million to 31 young women at MUST for 2026/2027 STEM studies via the Prof. Address Malata Endowment Fund. Cybersecurity for Parliaments: A CPA Africa meeting in Lilongwe urged stronger defenses against cyberattacks and AI-amplified disinformation. Maize Pressure: Malawi maize faces competition from cheaper Zambian imports, while forecasts warn of higher prices ahead, squeezing household budgets. Deep-Sea Mining Pause: Mauritius, Mozambique and DR Congo joined Malawi, Kenya and Madagascar in backing a precautionary pause on deep-seabed mining. AI Education Link: Malawi-China partnership launched a new School of Artificial Intelligence at the University of Hebron in Lilongwe.

Foreign Policy & Development Debate: A new interview reignites the question of whether foreign advisers like Tony Blair’s network can genuinely help Malawi’s economy, or whether the country is leaning too much on outsiders while facing foreign-exchange shortages, high costs and weak industrialisation. Food Security: Malawi maize is under pressure from cheaper Zambian imports, with Malawi’s production still below demand and experts urging smarter, tech-enabled farming to raise yields. IMF Pressure: An IMF-style critique argues that “stability” prescriptions may be clearer than a path to building productive capacity and jobs in African economies, including Malawi. Cross-Border Crime Tech: Malawi and Ethiopia sign a pact to tackle human trafficking gangs, with officials warning criminals are using technology and borders to evade justice. Cybersecurity & Democracy: Sierra Leone’s parliament pushes African legislatures to treat cybersecurity and AI-amplified disinformation as governance and democratic resilience issues, not just ICT problems. AI Education Boost: Malawi-China partnership launches a School of Artificial Intelligence at the University of Hebron in Lilongwe to build local AI skills. Energy Resilience: Malawi bets on battery storage to climate-proof its grid and cut reliance on diesel generation. Social Protection Gaps: Malawi’s social safety nets are said to suffer limited coverage, weak monitoring and heavy donor dependence, with calls for a stronger research agenda. Digital Connectivity: CTN expands LTE fixed-wireless internet in Lilongwe and links over 20 secondary schools with free access. Higher Education Fees Fight: Public university students form a unified coalition to push government to reverse or soften steep tuition hikes. Soil Data for Farmers: Varda Foundation open-sources SoilHive to help countries manage soil data with national ownership while improving global sharing. Mining Governance: Lindian Resources says its Kangankunde rare earth licence remains valid and in good standing amid scrutiny. Agriculture Innovation: Agroecology momentum is outpacing the research, financing and extension systems needed to scale it sustainably. Public Trust in Parliaments: UNDP urges African parliaments to rebuild public trust and address misinformation and emerging tech governance.

SADC Diplomacy: Malawi’s Foreign Affairs chief George T. Chaponda is in Durban for the 46th SADC Council of Ministers meeting, pushing regional priorities tied to trade, agriculture, energy, transport links and critical minerals. Grid Resilience: Malawi commissioned its first standalone utility-scale battery storage system in Lilongwe (20MW/40MWh), aiming to stabilise the grid, cut diesel reliance and unlock more renewable power. Energy Access Debate: A new analysis warns that mini-grids may not be the full answer for universal electrification, urging policymakers to look beyond one-size-fits-all solutions. Digital Connectivity in Lilongwe: CTN, Unconnected.org and the Internet Society expanded LTE fixed-wireless internet access across Lilongwe, including free connectivity for 20+ secondary schools. Skills for Jobs: Malawi’s Teveta is realigning the TVET curriculum with labour-market needs, including digital tech, automation and renewable energy. Higher Education Tension: Students across public universities formed a coalition to challenge a 100% tuition hike, proposing a reversal to a 35% gradual increase, while government defends the fees as driven by rising training costs. Science for Farmers: Research highlights a fungus-based approach that can help halt African armyworm outbreaks where chemicals fall short. Soil Data Open-Source: Varda Foundation open-sourced SoilHive to help countries share trusted soil data while keeping national ownership. Wildlife & Health Tech: MUST and All Peoples Innovation Hub signed an MOU to expand IT placements, short courses and innovation research; meanwhile, Sisters’ healthcare and women’s empowerment programmes continue to expand in underserved communities.

Digital Governance: Malawi’s tech push gets a boost as CTN, Unconnected.org and the Internet Society expand LTE fixed-wireless internet across Lilongwe, with free permanent access for 20+ secondary schools. Education & Skills: MUST and All Peoples Innovation Hub sign an MOU to scale work placements, certified short courses and joint innovation research for IT students. Energy Resilience: Malawi commissions its first standalone utility-scale battery storage system in Lilongwe (20MW/40MWh) to stabilise the grid and cut reliance on diesel after climate shocks. Agriculture & Food Security: A fungus-based discovery offers hope against the African armyworm, while El Niño warnings point to compound hazards for southern Malawi’s farms. Soil Data for Farmers: Varda Foundation open-sources SoilHive to help governments and researchers share trusted soil data while keeping national ownership. Higher Education Costs: Public university students lobby for tuition hikes to be reduced from 100% to a 35% increase, as government defends the fee adjustment. Tech Localisation: Easy Books hands locally built accounting software to Malawi’s Nurses and Midwives Council, urging a shift away from foreign licences. Environment & Policy: Six African countries, including Malawi, back a precautionary pause on deep-sea mining over science and governance gaps. Sports Tech & Governance: FAM explains why women’s football boss Adelaide Migogo returned early from Wafcon, amid public debate.

LTE Connectivity Expansion in Lilongwe: CTN, Unconnected.org and the Internet Society have extended LTE fixed-wireless internet across multiple Lilongwe neighbourhoods, with free permanent access for 20+ secondary schools. Skills for the Labour Market: Malawi’s Teveta is realigning the technical and vocational curriculum to match changing workplace needs, including digital, automation and renewable energy. Energy Resilience Push: Malawi commissioned its first standalone utility-scale battery storage system in Kanengo (20MW/40MWh) to stabilise the grid and cut costly diesel backup, while also commissioning the first 10MW phase of the Salima-Nanjoka solar plant. Power, Climate and Planning: A new commentary warns mini-grids may not be the whole answer for Africa’s electrification goals, and another piece flags El Niño risks for Malawi’s southern districts as both drought and extreme rainfall could hit at once. Agriculture Breakthrough: Research into a naturally occurring fungus offers hope for halting African armyworm outbreaks where chemicals have struggled. Education Fee Pressure: Students formed a unified coalition to negotiate against public university tuition hikes, as government defends the increases amid rising training costs. Digital Localisation: Easy Books urges Malawi to ditch foreign financial software, highlighting a government handover of its accounting system to the Nurses and Midwives Council. Wildlife Conservation: Malawi-Zambia corridor efforts are helping reconnect elephant habitats, easing human-wildlife conflict. Public Health & Food: A public health commentary links processed-food shifts to cardiometabolic risk, spotlighting Somalia’s nutrition transition.

Humanitarian Innovation: Liberia-born doctor Dr. Raj Panjabi’s Last Mile Health, started with $6,000 raised from his wedding guests, has received the $3 million Conrad H. Hilton Humanitarian Prize for using community health workers to reach remote communities. Climate-Smart Agriculture: A South African discovery points to a naturally occurring fungus that kills the African armyworm, offering farmers hope as chemical controls struggle. Power Resilience: Malawi has commissioned its first standalone utility battery storage system (20MW/40MWh) in Kanengo, aiming to stabilise the grid, cut diesel reliance, and unlock about 100MW of renewables. Solar Expansion: Salima’s 10MW Salima-Nanjoka Solar PV phase has been commissioned, part of a broader push to diversify generation. Education Access: Students and government clash over public university fee hikes, while a unified student coalition seeks direct talks to negotiate relief. Digital Localisation: Easy Books urges Malawi to ditch foreign software, handing its accounting system to the Nurses and Midwives Council as a step toward local tech adoption. Health & Research: A Malawi-hosted COSECSA surgical conference is planned under a theme focused on antimicrobial resistance. Biodiversity: A fish species believed extinct in the wild has been bred successfully at a UK zoo, highlighting conservation science.

Grid Upgrade for Reliability: Malawi has switched on its first battery energy storage system (BESS) in Kanengo, Lilongwe—20MW/40MWh—aimed at stabilising the grid, cutting diesel back-up, and unlocking more renewables. Solar Power Push: The Salima-Nanjoka Solar PV plant’s first 10MW phase has been commissioned, part of a 50MW plan to diversify generation and ease power shortages. Health Tech & Training: Malawi will host COSECSA’s Scientific Conference on “Surgery in the Era of Antimicrobial Resistance” at BICC (Nov 27–Dec 4), drawing 1,500+ surgeons and focusing on safer surgical care amid drug resistance. Digital Localisation: Easy Books urges Malawi to ditch foreign financial software, citing forex drain; it has handed its accounting system to the Nurses and Midwives Council of Malawi for a full deployment. Climate Risk Warning: An El Niño alert says southern Malawi may face compound hazards—dry spells, severe drought, and extreme rainfall—so planning must prepare for both too little and too much water. Trade & Border Efficiency: SADC is pushing a Simplified Trade Regime to cut costs for small traders, including relaxed origin rules and simpler customs procedures. Education Funding Rules: Stakeholders review new Constituency Development Fund bursary guidelines, with K150m set aside and clearer beneficiary identification and oversight needs. Malawi in Regional Sports: The Malawi Scorchers’ WAfCON Morocco 2026 run is being framed as a project-management lesson in motivation and confidence-building. Migration Pressure in the Region: South Africa’s deportation and repatriation drive has cost hundreds of millions of rand and triggered large returns, including thousands to Malawi.

Renewables Upgrade: Malawi has commissioned its first 10MW phase of the Salima-Nanjoka Solar PV plant, part of a planned 50MW project, as government pushes to diversify away from hydropower and ease grid pressure. Grid Stability Tech: Malawi also switched on its first battery energy storage system in Kanengo, Lilongwe—20MW/40MWh—aimed at reducing diesel back-up and unlocking more renewables. Power + Food Security: A K16 billion package will install 800 solar-powered irrigation systems for about 8,000 farmers, targeting 100,000 metric tonnes of maize during the 2026/27 lean season and building resilience to El Niño. Digital Tax for Illicit Trade: Malawi Revenue Authority says digital excise tax stamps (Kalondola) are improving monitoring and revenue collection after installation at 14 sites with 22 manufacturing machines. Rare Earths Compliance: Lindian Resources says Kangankunde rare earths operations remain under a valid licence after government inspections found no evidence of illegal mining. Health Tech Training: MUBAS hosted a Global Health Design Internship Programme bringing engineering and health sciences students together to prototype solutions for real healthcare gaps. Regional Trade Facilitation: SADC is moving to simplify border procedures for small-scale traders under the Simplified Trade Regime, targeting lower costs and fewer non-tariff barriers. Food Prices Pressure: UN/FAO reports July food prices rose as heatwaves and El Niño disrupt harvests, keeping hunger risks high.

Solar Power Push: Malawi commissioned the first 10MW phase of the US$12m Salima-Nanjoka Solar PV plant, feeding power into the grid and supporting plans to diversify away from hydropower. Grid Stability Tech: Government also switched on the country’s first battery energy storage system in Kanengo, a 20MW/40MWh project meant to smooth renewables and cut costly diesel backup. Energy + Food Resilience: A K16bn package will install 800 solar-powered irrigation systems for 8,000 farmers, targeting 100,000 metric tonnes of food as El Niño pressure builds. Water Mapping Science: A new push to map Africa’s groundwater is using digital tools to help communities find safe, pumpable water as surface sources become less reliable. Tax Tech Against Illicit Trade: Malawi Revenue Authority expanded its Kalondola digital excise tax stamp system to 22 machines across 14 sites, improving monitoring and revenue collection. Rare Earths Oversight: Parliament ordered a fresh probe into the Kangankunde rare earth project after questions on licensing and sample exports, while the company says operations remain compliant. Health Innovation + Training: MUBAS hosted a Global Health Design internship bringing engineering and health students together to prototype solutions for Malawi’s healthcare gaps.