Malawi: Unlocking Private Investment, Jobs, and Foreign Exchange Through Reforms

Lilongwe, Malawi, June 17^th, 2026-More than 100,000 jobs could be unlocked across Malawi-alongside stronger exports and a new wave of private investment-through targeted reforms that spark a more dynamic, business-friendly environment.

A new Country Private Sector Diagnostic (CPSD), released today, by the World Bank Group provides evidence and a roadmap for the reforms needed in three high-potential sectors: commercial mining, nature-based tourism, and mango production. The report highlights Malawi's strong foundations for developing the private sector, including natural assets such as Lake Malawi, favorable growing conditions, and mineral resources. Reforms and investments in these areas can support a shift towards higher-productivity export-oriented, job-creating sectors in the near term.

"The three subsectors of the economy analyzed in this report represent commercially viable opportunities to attract increased investment and create jobs in Malawi in the short to medium term. Ultimately, further increases in investment and economic gains will require complementary reforms and capacity building over the coming years," said Firas Raad, World Bank Group Division Director for Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

The CPSD outlines specific reforms to help unlock the potential in these sectors. These reforms include regulatory changes, improved access to land for investors, strengthened air and road connections, and improved tourism experience through the development of concessions in natural areas. Strengthening public-private dialogue is critical to achieving the reforms and the Private-Public Dialogue Forum (PPDF), launched today, will serve as a structured platform and do just that. It will bring together government and private sector stakeholders and facilitate dialogue to accelerate reform implementation and unlock investment.

The PPDF will strengthen how consultations are conducted by making them more systematic, transparent, and results-oriented, ensuring that private sector input is consistently incorporated into decision-making. Critically, it will help reduce regulatory uncertainty by institutionalizing private-public dialogue, improving policy predictability, and providing a credible mechanism for resolving investor concerns, creating a stronger enabling environment for private investment, job creation, and economic transformation in Malawi.

"Malawi has the assets, the entrepreneurial energy, and the ambition to attract significantly greater private investment," said Mary Porter Peschka, IFC Division Director for Eastern Africa. "The country stands at an inflection point-where targeted reforms can unlock new industries, create jobs, and expand exports. This diagnostic points to clear pathways to mobilize investment at scale and accelerate inclusive growth".

The World Bank Group has partnered with Malawi for more than 60 years, supporting the country's development through financing, advisory services, and knowledge. Initiatives to promote private investment reflect the World Bank Group's integrated approach to supporting Malawi's development by strengthening infrastructure, boosting agricultural productivity, enhancing human capital (health, education, and social protection), improving public financial management, and fostering private sector-led growth and job creation.

About the World Bank Group

The World Bank Group works to create a world free of poverty on a livable planet through a combination of financing, knowledge, and expertise. It consists of the World Bank, including the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA); the International Finance Corporation (IFC); the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA); and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). For more information, please visit www.worldbank.org, ida.worldbank.org, www.miga.org, www.ifc.org, and www.icsid.worldbank.org.

Contacts

World Bank Media Relations: [email protected]

In Lilongwe: Henry Chimbali, (+265) 888 890 047, [email protected]

In Washington: Daniella van Leggelo-Padilla, (+1-202) 473-4989, [email protected]

In Nairobi: Edwin Eselem, +1 202 766 60 59, [email protected]