Expanding mobile internet access could unlock new opportunities for millions of Malawians in education, financial services and digital public services, a new GSMA report has found.
The report, titled Driving Digital Transformation of the Economy in Malawi: Opportunities, Policy Recommendations and the Role of Mobile, was released on August 20 in Lilongwe as part of GSMA’s Digital Africa Summit.
It finds that Malawi could unlock MWK1.1 trillion in additional economic value and create 490,000 jobs by 2030 through targeted digital reforms.
The report links the opportunity to Malawi’s national development priorities, including Malawi 2063, the Government’s 2025–2030 manifesto, the Digital Malawi Acceleration Project and the Inclusive Digital Transformation for Malawi initiative.
Malawi has made progress in expanding digital infrastructure, reaching 87 percent 4G population coverage in 2025 and maintaining some of the most affordable mobile data prices in Africa.
Mobile money is well established in the country, with 75 percent of adults actively using the services. More than 576 million transactions worth MWK8.6 trillion were processed in 2025.
Despite this, around 80 percent of Malawi’s population lives within mobile broadband coverage but does not use mobile internet, according to the report.
This usage gap is one of the highest in Africa, significantly above the regional average of about 65 percent. Unique mobile internet penetration stands at just 12.5 percent, with smartphone adoption at 33 percent.
The report attributes the gap to device affordability, limited digital skills, and structural constraints in the investment environment, including foreign exchange shortages and high energy costs.
Caroline Mbugua, Senior Director for Public Policy at GSMA Africa, said Malawi has made strong progress in expanding connectivity and financial inclusion, but that access alone is not enough.
“With 80 percent of the population still offline despite network coverage, the priority now must be turning access into meaningful use,” she said.
“This requires decisive action to address affordability, digital skills and investment barriers. With the right policy environment in place, Malawi has a clear opportunity to unlock significant economic growth and ensure that digital transformation benefits everyone,” she said.
GSMA’s analysis sets out a roadmap for policymakers and industry stakeholders. If implemented, the report says Malawi could achieve 99 percent 4G population coverage by 2030, with remote areas served by alternative technologies.
The country could add 810,000 new mobile internet users, bringing the total to five million, and generate a net positive fiscal impact of MWK179 billion through increased digital adoption and improved tax compliance.
The report recommends action across six priority areas: strengthening investment conditions, expanding rural connectivity, enabling mobile money growth, improving affordability, driving digital adoption, and strengthening governance and strategy.
On affordability, it recommends eliminating the 10 percent excise duty on mobile services and reducing taxes on entry-level smartphones.
On investment, it calls for prioritised access to foreign exchange, longer spectrum licence durations, lower energy costs, and recognition of telecom infrastructure as critical national infrastructure.
The report warns that without coordinated and timely policy action, Malawi risks missing a critical window to accelerate economic growth and close its digital divide.
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