By Draxon Maloya
MZUZU-(MaraviPost)-Africa’s e-commerce market is projected to reach $87.23 billion, with cross-border digital trade growing by 15.20 percent annually.
This trade boomerang is expected to improve trade facilitation measures and increase regional market access, providing opportunities for trade negotiations on digital trade provisions in secure and inclusive e-payment ecosystems.
A day-long consultative workshop on conducting a gap analysis of Malawi’s policy, strategy, legal, regulatory, and institutional frameworks on e-commerce was held in Mzuzu City on Monday.
Thomas Mhango, Deputy Director of Trade Services at the Ministry of Trade, said the workshop aims to facilitate Malawi’s transformative shift towards digitalization, with e-commerce positioned as a key driver of inclusive economic growth, competitiveness, and regional integration.
Mhango emphasized the need for balanced regulation, highlighting the importance of dealing with fragmented and outdated policies and legal frameworks, as well as gaps in consumer protection, cybersecurity, and data governance.
“The meeting is a benchmark considering the Vision 2063 and the Malawi Digital Economy Strategy, both of which articulate the ambition for a globally competitive, world-class digital economy,” Mhango said.
Shylet Nyabeze, a consultant from the Trade Policy Training Centre in Africa, highlighted the importance of digital trade provisions in accelerating expansion in digital ecosystems.
She emphasized the need to generate recommendations that promote inclusive participation, gender equality, innovation, and sustainability in line with Malawi’s national development goals and international commitments.
Despite progress, Nyabeze noted that several challenges continue to constrain the effective development of e-commerce in Malawi and African in general, including limited cross-border harmonization with regional and international frameworks.
“This constrains most African countries including Malawi’s ability to fully exploit opportunities under the AfCFTA Digital Trade Protocol, COMESA, and World Trade Organization initiatives,” Nyabeze observed.
Thokozani Ngwira from the Eastern and Southern Africa Management Institute (ESAMI) highlighted that the project, implemented across ten countries including Malawi through the Trade Policy Training Centre in Africa (Trapca), specifically designed to draft e-commerce policies, strategies, and legal frameworks.
“This initiative aims to lay the groundwork for participation in the regional and global digital economy, driving inclusive growth in Malawi and beyond,” said Ngwira.
In February 2022, the Government of Malawi signed an agreement worth approximately MK12 billion towards Digitalization, Financial Inclusion, and Competitiveness (DFIC).
Sangwani Mkandawire, DFIC E-Trade Specialist, said the project aims to enhance financial inclusion, accountability, efficiency, and transparency in the payments system, while strengthening mechanisms to support private sector competitiveness.
“Specifically, the project targets increased access to financial services for the general population, with a focus on small and medium enterprises, women, youth, and rural communities,” Mkandawire said.
He also emphasized that the project will increase access to financial services among the general population, with a particular focus on small and medium enterprises, women, youth, and rural populations.
However, he noted that despite strides in increasing access to financial services, a large proportion of Malawians still remains without access to basic services.
