Secretary for Information and Digitalization, Baldwin Chiyamwaka, has hailed the Digital Malawi Project (DIGMAP) as a game-changer intervention critical to achieving the digital transformation goals of Malawi 2063.
Chiyamwaka made the remarks in Blantyre on Friday at a press conference that his ministry through the Public Private Partnership Commission (PPPC) organized to give an update on the significant progress made under DIGMAP.
The Ministry through PPPC is currently implementing the first phase of DIGMAP, the Digital Malawi Program Phase 1: Digital Foundations Project, with funding from the World Bank to revolutionize Malawi’s digital landscape across the economy, society, and government.
Chiyamwaka said the project’s first phase has equipped youths, women, and the elderly with essential digital skills; at the same time, some beneficiaries were provided with seed funding to start their own businesses, fostering self-reliance.
“We have had 10 tech hubs where over 19,000 youths, women and the elderly have acquired digital skills. These hubs have also been supporting some beneficiaries by providing them with seed funding to help them become self-reliant,” Chiyamwaka said.
On the Digital Connectivity Component of the project, he highlighted that DIGMAP has extended internet connectivity to over 500 public institutions and supporting the Malawi Research and Education Network (MAREN) with high-speed connectivity which is currently serving over 100,000 students across 84 higher education institutions.
Chiyamwaka then urged civil servants to adopt the new technology, specifically encouraging them to switch from using personal emails to official government emails to protect government data and information better.
The first phase of DIGMAP is being implemented at approximately US$72.4 million.
The second phase, the Digital Malawi Acceleration Project (DMAP), is a US$150 million project that will build on the achievements of the first phase.
“The second phase will focus much on connectivity to ensure that the fiber network is completed thoroughly, and we have infrastructure through fiber network all over the country. Additionally, we will ensure that we have connectivity tower and free Wi-Fi, especially in schools and more public institutions,” Chiyamwaka added.
PPPC Project Manager for DIGMAP, Chimwemwe Matemba emphasized that the successes of the first phase of DIGMAP have propelled the World Bank to approve funding for DMAP.
He said that the second project will facilitate the provision of digital and entrepreneurship skills to youths and women across the country.
Matemba added: “A data center is currently being constructed in Lilongwe under the current project but for it to be operational, there is a need for systems, and licenses to operate the various tools. Therefore, more support may be required.”
DMAP will also focus on making devices like phones and computers more affordable, especially in rural areas.
