Minister of Transport and Public Works Jappie Mhango has called for harmonisation of the country’s transport system to ensure affordability and efficiency.
The minister spoke on Wednesday in Salima District during the opening of the 19th Annual Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport Africa Forum 2026.
“Logistics act as the backbone of the African Continental Free Trade Area [AfCFTA] to transform policy into economic gains by facilitating efficient cross-border trade, reducing costs and enabling value chain development,” said Mhango.
He said the Malawi Government realises that transport remains the backbone of economic transformation as connectivity is essential to trade, industrialisation and regional integration under the AfCFTA, a market of 1.3 billion people in 55 countries and a gross domestic product of $3.4 trillion.
Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport vice-president and chairperson (Africa) Ibrahim Jibril said poor infrastructure is one of the major challenges African countries are facing in the logistics sector.
“We need collaborative efforts to develop infrastructure that is key to the transport and logistics sector because roads, railways, sea and aviation are all interconnected and important,” he said.
In his remarks, Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport Malawi president Cuthbert Chinguwo said the conference will help Malawi to learn how to deal with transport and logistical challenges.
A participant from South Africa Moipone Masalesa said she expects delegates to deliberate on challenges that African countries face on transport and logistics.
