LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The country’s leading mobile telecommunications network Airtel Malawi Plc today addressed the growing challenge of fiber infrastructure vandalism, which continues to disrupt essential communication services across the country.
The call comes barely months after the company has experienced a concerning increase in coordinated vandalism incidents targeting its underground and overhead fiber cables, a vital backbone supporting voice, data, and digital services for millions of Malawians.
Addressing the news conference on Friday, June 27, 2025, Airtel Malawi Networks Director, Mphatso Manda, emphasized both the technical resilience of the network and the deliberate nature of recent attacks.
“Our fiber infrastructure is built with industry leading resilience using a mesh design and multiple protection paths to ensure continuity. However, the level of coordinated vandalism we are seeing is unprecedented.
“In some cases, while our teams are repairing one section, another cut is reported elsewhere, pointing to calculated and deliberate sabotage. This is no longer just a telecommunications problem; it’s a national security concern,” Manda says.
Airtel Malawi’s extensive fiber network spans over 2,000 kilometres across major cities and rural areas, enabling critical services in health, education, banking, and national commerce.
Damage to this infrastructure doesn’t just impact Airtel, it threatens emergency response systems, disrupts learning, and stalls economic activity.
He added, “Connectivity isn’t just about technology, it’s about people. Every dropped call, disrupted mobile money transfer, or offline classroom represents a life interrupted. And it’s why Airtel Malawi is working hand in hand with authorities to stop the attacks.
“But lasting protection starts with all of us. We need the eyes, ears, and voices of Malawians everywhere to defend what keeps us connected”.
“We’re calling on every citizen to be vigilant,” Manda added.
“Report any suspicious activity near fiber lines; whether someone is digging where they shouldn’t, tampering with poles, or lurking around technical sites. Your tip-off could prevent the next outage,” Manda further elaborated.
The company has set up a toll-free hotline 460 for anonymous reporting and is exploring additional community outreach efforts to raise awareness.
Airtel Malawi reaffirmed its commitment to restoring services as quickly as possible during outages, with highly skilled teams working around the clock.
Despite the recent setbacks, the company remains resolute in its mission to keep Malawi connected.