By Maryam Ibrahim
Ministry of Information and Communications Technology through the Department of E-Government, on Wednesday commenced a two-day National Validation Workshop on the Draft National Digital Transformation Strategy, and the Draft National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy, at the Bingu International Convention Centre in Lilongwe.
The workshop aims to scrutinise and validate the draft strategies before finalisation to ensure they are practical, implementable, and aligned with Malawi 2063, the National Digitalisation Policy and other national development priorities.
Opening the workshop, Principal Secretary for E-Government, Prosper Mopiwa, said the two strategies will provide a coordinated framework to guide Malawi’s digital transformation agenda and responsible adoption of artificial intelligence.
Mopiwa said the Digital Transformation Strategy will strengthen digital public infrastructure; improve service delivery; enhance data systems and promote innovation across government.
He observed that government’s current digital ecosystem is characterised by silo systems, where Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) procure and operate systems independently without common standards or integration, resulting in duplication, inefficiencies and loss of public resources.
“The strategy will ensure that government systems are interoperable, integrated and guided by clear standards to maximise efficiency and value for money,” he said.
Mopiwa added that the strategy will also improve national connectivity, including expanding digital access to rural areas, and establish a stronger legal and regulatory framework to govern emerging technologies.
On artificial intelligence, he said the National AI Strategy will guide the responsible deployment of AI in key sectors such as agriculture, health and education to enhance productivity and accelerate socio-economic development.
The draft strategies were developed following a Digital Readiness Assessment and an AI Landscape Assessment, as well as technical consultations and regional multi-stakeholder engagements conducted in August 2025.The validation workshop has brought together representatives from government institutions, regulatory bodies, the private sector, civil society, academia, development partners and technology innovators to review strategic objectives, implementation arrangements and institutional roles.
Meanwhile, UNDP Digital Advisor, Azhar Malik, has commended government for spearheading the initiative, describing the strategies as critical to modernising Malawi’s public sector and strengthening collaboration between government and the private sector.
Malik emphasised the importance of ethical artificial intelligence, data protection and inclusive participation, noting that AI can serve as an acceleration layer for development, particularly benefiting rural communities where nearly 80 percent of the population resides.
During the workshop, government also launched the “Shape Malawi’s Digital and AI Future Portal”, a public platform designed to collect wider citizen feedback before the strategies are finalised.
Once adopted, the strategies are expected to provide a unified roadmap for digital transformation and artificial intelligence implementation, supporting economic growth, job creation and improved public service delivery.
