by DION HENRICK
Western Cape Bureau
CAPE TOWN, (CAJ News) – MALAWI’S mining sector is poised for transformation, with the country aiming to become a leading supplier of critical minerals for the global energy transition.
With eight high-potential mining projects in the pipeline, including the Kayelekera Uranium Mine, Kasiya Rutile Project, and Songwe Hills Rare Earth Elements Project, Malawi is also on track to diversify its economy, create jobs, and attract major foreign direct investment (FDI).
Recent projections from the World Bank’s 2025 Malawi Economic Monitor Report estimate that Malawi’s mining exports could reach US$30 billion by 2040, or $43 billion in an accelerated growth scenario.
“This is a defining moment for Malawi,” said Kenneth Zikhale Ng’oma, Malawi Minister of Mining, at the African Mining Indaba in Cape Town.
He said their mining sector was no longer an untapped resource but the next frontier for economic growth.
“We are here at the African Mining Indaba to engage with global investors, learn from industry best practices, and position Malawi as a reliable supplier of critical minerals in the global energy transition,” Ng’oma said.
With global investors, industry leaders, and policymakers gathered under the theme, “Building a Unified African Mining Value Chain: Enhancing Best Practice,” Malawi made a bold statement.
Malawi’s mining agenda is fully aligned with President Lazarus Chakwera’s “Agriculture, Tourism, and Mining (ATM) Strategy”, which seeks to diversify the economy beyond agriculture.
“The world is moving towards green energy, and Malawi is strategically positioned to supply essential minerals for this transition,” Ng’oma emphasised.
With its rich deposits of uranium, graphite, rare earth elements and titanium he believes Malawi has some of the most in-demand resources globally.
“Our goal is to ensure that Malawi’s minerals not only generate exports but also drive local value addition and beneficiation,” Ng’oma said.
Malawi is taking steps to ensure that mining contributes at least 10 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) by 2063, in line with its MW2063 Vision.
“The message from Malawi is clear,” Ng’oma said.
“We are ready to do business. We are ready to grow. And we are ready to power the future,” he concluded.
– CAJ News