Minister of Information and Communications Technology Shadric Namalomba says the GSMA Digitalisation Status Report is expected to provide a clear picture of Malawi’s digital progress and future direction.
Speaking after a meeting with officials from the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) in Lilongwe last week, the minister described the report, which will be released in June this year, as a crucial tool to shape the country’s digital transformation agenda.
“The report is looking at digital transformation and the key enablers, what it can do for key sectors such as health, agriculture and education. It is informative and will tell us, as a country, where we are and what we can do,” said Namalomba.
He, however, noted that the cost of smartphones remains a major barrier to digital inclusion, adding that most devices are expensive, putting them beyond the reach of many Malawians.
“Smartphones have become a luxury for most people, which is not supposed to be the case if we are serious about digital inclusivity. We want at least 80 percent of Malawians to be digitally connected, but for that to happen, people must first have access to affordable devices,” he said.
the meeting. | Malawi News Agency
To address the challenge, government is exploring ways to bring down the cost of smartphones to below $40 (about K70 040) while also considering flexible financing options such as purchasing on credit.
Namalomba said discussions are underway with mobile network operators to unlock up to three million affordable devices, a move expected to transform connectivity, particularly in rural areas.
“Our plans are that in future, people should be able to access services such as Farm Input Subsidy Programme, Mtukula Pakhomo and other government programmes directly from their devices,” he said, adding that government is pushing to increase connectivity from the current 40 percent to 80 percent by 2030.
On his part, GSMA senior Africa policy manager Linus Melly described the meeting as productive, highlighting key areas of collaboration between Malawi and the organisation.
He said discussions centred on the GSMA digitalisation study on Malawi, efforts to reduce the usage gap through increased smartphone adoption and the validation of the Digital Africa Index.
He said: “The study aims to provide evidence-based recommendations on how key sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, transport, trade, healthcare and government can benefit from digitalisation.
“We believe that reducing the usage gap will unlock opportunities across core sectors and drive economic growth.”
GSMA is a global industry organisation that represents mobile operators and companies across the ecosystem, driving innovation, standards and connectivity worldwide.
The organisation unifies the mobile ecosystem to promote innovation, interoperability and represents mover 750 mobile operators and more than 400 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset manufacturers, software providers and Internet companies.
