Malawi, which is on the road to implementing Malawi 2063 (MW2063), the country’s long-term development plan, is positioning itself to align with the global innovation-driven transformation agenda.
Malawi 2063, which seeks to turn Malawi into a lower middle-income economy by 2030 and an upper middle-income economy by 2063, identifies industrialisation, agricultural commercialisation and urbanisation as key growth drivers, with science, technology and innovation serving as cross-cutting enablers.
The draft Science, Technology and Innovation Policy further links Malawi’s innovation to economic transformation, enterprise development and job creation.
Office of the President and Cabinet director of innovation Isaac Banda says government has embedded innovation as a central pillar of its long-term development strategy through MW2063.
“This reflects a deliberate shift from input-driven growth to innovation-led, productivity-driven growth,” says Banda.
He says the government aims to transform ideas into businesses and employment opportunities, particularly for young people.
The draft Science, Technology and Innovation Policy seeks to promote commercialisation of research, development of innovation hubs, support for technology-driven small and medium enterprises and stronger linkages between universities and industry.
In practical terms, Banda says the policy will enable young people to create start-ups, help businesses adopt technology to expand employment and open new sectors such as the digital economy.
Malawi’s youthful population is being positioned as a key driver of this agenda and Banda says the policy will promote science, technology, engineering and mathematics, digital skills development, youth innovation programmes and improved access to financing and mentorship.
“Our intention is to position the youth not only as job seekers, but as job creators and innovators,” says Banda.
Speaking on April 2 in Tangier, Morocco, during the 58th session of the Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa executive secretary Claver Gatete called on African countries to integrate technology, finance and macroeconomic policy to boost productivity and resilience.
He said that to achieve meaningful transformation, African governments must urgently align innovation with economic policy, warning that global instability is exposing the continent’s structural vulnerabilities while also presenting new opportunities.
Gatete warned that Africa faces a “particularly concerning” global environment shaped by geopolitical tensions, including conflict in the Middle East, which is disrupting energy markets and trade routes.
He said these shocks could strain African economies through rising energy costs, tighter financial conditions and reduced fiscal space.
At the same time, shifting global trade dynamics are creating opportunities, with parts of Africa emerging as logistics hubs.
Gatete cited increased traffic through ports in East and Southern Africa and expanded air connectivity led by Ethiopian Airlines.
Despite projected economic growth of about four percent in 2026, he cautioned that expansion without structural transformation could fail to deliver jobs, productivity gains or long-term competitiveness.
“Too often, our economies have expanded without fundamentally changing what they produce or how they compete,” said Gatete.
He emphasised that innovation should be embedded within broader macroeconomic frameworks, noting that fiscal policy, debt management and investment strategies must align with long-term development goals.
Rising borrowing costs and limited fiscal space, Gatete added, are constraining critical investments across many African countries.
He also highlighted concerns about Africa’s position in the global digital economy, warning that much of the value generated from the continent’s data continues to flow outside Africa due to weak regulatory and governance systems.
To address these challenges, Infiormation and Communications Technology Association of Malawi president Clarence Gama outlined four priorities: investing in energy and digital infrastructure, strengthening education and skills development, advancing regional integration through the African Continental Free Trade Area and expanding access to financing through domestic resource mobilisation and instruments such as blended finance.
He said that Africa’s growing youth population could become either a major economic asset or a missed opportunity, depending on policy choices made now.
“The moment before us does not call for incremental change; it calls for transformation at scale,” said Gama.
He further said that first, Africa must invest in the foundations of a modern economy, adding that without reliable energy, robust digital connectivity and strong data infrastructure, innovation will be constrained and transformation.
Gama underscored the importance of investing decisively in the people, adding that education and skills systems must align with the demands of a rapidly evolving, technology-driven economy, so that Africa’s youth are not merely participants in change, but leaders of it.
For this to happen, the youth must be equipped to design, adapt, produce and scale solutions that respond to Africa’s realities.
In this respect, African Continental Free Trade Area, a market of 1.2 billion people and a combined gross domestic product (GDP) of $3.4 trillion, provides a platform to expand markets, enable firms to operate across borders, leverage systems such as the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System for cross-border payments in local currencies and accelerate the diffusion of innovation across the continent.
