The Southern Africa Connectivity Project (SATCP), supported by the World Bank, has endorsed the Malawi National Single Window (NSW) as a transformative initiative to lower trade costs, improve revenue collection, and enhance trade efficiency.
The Ministry of Trade and Industry has confirmed that the project will roll out in June 2025. The $9.17 million (approximately K15.6 billion) project is being implemented by the Ministry of Transport and Public Works.
Musonzo | Suzgo Chitete
In an e-mailed response, SATCP Communications Specialist Joab Chakhadza said: “The system will automate workflows for government agencies such as the Malawi Revenue Authority [MRA] and the Malawi Bureau of Standards [MBS], expediting permit processing and significantly reducing trade barriers.”
The platform will also facilitate electronic fee payments, improving revenue collection while cutting trade costs and processing times.
During its pilot phase, the NSW will integrate the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Department of Animal Health and Livestock Development, the Department of Agriculture Research Services
the Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (MCCCI), and the Department of Forestry.
By September 2025, SATCP plans to expand the platform to incorporate 15 additional agencies, creating a more interconnected trade environment.
In a previous interview, Ministry of Trade and Industry director of trade in goods Charity Musonzo explained that the NSW aligns with the World Trade Organisation’s Trade Facilitation Agreement and other regional instruments aimed at improving trade efficiency and expediting processes.
“The implementation of the NSW in Malawi will grant goods and services easier access to global markets while enhancing the country’s appeal to foreign investors seeking streamlined trade processes,” Musonzo said.
Upon implementation, Malawi will join countries such as Kenya, South Africa, Ghana, Mozambique, Nigeria, Madagascar, Djibouti, Rwanda, Mauritius, and Singapore in adopting the system. The Ministry of Trade and Industry asserts that similar platforms have successfully streamlined trade procedures and strengthened economic integration in other nations.
The project aligns with the 2023 Malawi Country Economic Memorandum (CEM), a biennial World Bank report, which highlighted Malawi’s economic challenges, including low investment and high trade costs.
The report, titled ‘A Narrow Path to Prosperity’, attributes these challenges to inadequate logistics and infrastructure, Malawi’s landlocked status, and non-tariff barriers at its borders.
With the NSW initiative, Malawi aims to overcome these hurdles, facilitate smoother trade transactions, and position itself as a competitive player in regional and global markets
