The Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) has announced that it is taking steps to bridge the digital gap by launching an initiative to produce locally assembled low-cost smartphones.
The authority revealed that 40% of Malawians still lack internet access, highlighting the urgency of increasing digital connectivity across the nation.
The new program aims to provide affordable smartphones to help address this gap, although the exact timeline for its launch has not been disclosed.
The MACRA’s Director General, Daud Suleman, emphasized the importance of a collaborative approach to enhance access to digital services, stating, “We need a multi-sectoral approach for citizens to have access to digital services at a reasonable distance.”
He also urged the youth to avoid engaging in cybercrime, referencing Section 87 of Malawi’s constitution.
The Director of Science, Technology, and Innovation at the Ministry of Education, Chomola Mikeka, added that efforts are underway to revise the national curriculum to include digital education.
This is crucial given that only 34% of primary schools and 82% of secondary schools in Malawi are connected to the power grid. “We want to align to the fourth industrial revolution by having digital subjects before 2027,” Mikeka remarked.