Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (Mubas) says it plans to venture into gold mining through its commercial arm, Mubas Commercial Limited, as part of efforts to expand its contribution to national development.
In an interview on the sidelines of Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) Chair Seminar held on Friday in Blantyre to share mining experiences in Malawi and abroad, Mubas executive dean of School of Engineering Associate Professor Burnett Mkandawire said the university has already identified areas rich in gold deposits across the country.
He said government has issued the university a provisional licence at Chemkumbi in Balaka for the production of lime and cement before venturing into gold mining where it will be adding value.
Said Mkandawire: “As we are talking, we know where exactly to get largest deposits of gold in this country. The good thing is that we have a state of the art laboratory which can help to make our gold mining simple. So we are in the process of engaging government so that
we can get there.”
He emphasised that the mining initiative aligns with Mubas’ strategic goal of translating academic research and innovation into practical commercial ventures that contribute to Malawi’s economy while creating hands-on learning opportunities for students in mining engineering, geology, and related fields.
If successful, the Mubas gold mining initiative will mark one of the first instances of a Malawian public university operating a licensed mining enterprise, signalling a new era where higher education institutions play an active role in industrial production and resource management.
The Jica Chair Seminar, which brought together experts and stakeholders from the mining industry and other public universities, focused on knowledge exchange and promoting sustainable mining practices.
In a separate interview, Jica adviser for mining sector Yoshitaka Hosoi observed that for the country to make meaningful strides in mining, there is need for linkages between public and private sectors as well as communities.
He also noted that research is critical in mining sector as it helps to discover specific types of minerals available in the country, which also determines the type of investors needed.
Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) reports show that as of March this year, it bought 293 kilogrammes (kg) of gold, which could be valued at $27 million (about K47 billion), according to current world market prices.
The 2025 Government Annual Economic Report shows that the RBM, through its subsidiary Export Development Trading, had accumulated this amount of gold since it started buying in 2021 at a price of K34 billion, but it is yet to start exports
