Minister of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining, Honourable Dr Jean Mathanga, has expressed gratitude to the World Bank for its continued commitment to tackling Malawi’s energy challenges.
Dr Mathanga said Malawi’s energy sector remains central to the nation’s development journey, noting that her Ministry views energy not just as an enabler of progress, but as the very foundation for transformation.
The Minister made the remarks on Tuesday when World Bank Country Manager for Malawi, Firas Raad, and his delegation paid a courtesy call in Lilongwe.
She said her Ministry is deeply committed to achieving universal energy access for all Malawians and is prioritising projects aligned with the country’s growing electricity demand.
“By investing in solar, wind, hydropower, and other renewables, we aim to create a resilient and sustainable energy system. Let me commend the World Bank for supporting Malawi’s Mpatamanga Hydropower Storage Project (MHSP), a large infrastructure operation aiming to transform the country’s energy landscape and its economic development trajectory.
“The World Bank is actively involved in improving Malawi’s energy sector through significant financial and technical support for a range of projects. The development objective of the Energy Sector Support Project for Malawi is to increase the reliability and quality of electricity supply,” said the Minister.
Dr Mathanga further stated that such support, primarily focused on diversifying energy sources, is crucial for driving development and making electricity more accessible and affordable for citizens.
On his part, Raad said the World Bank’s support to the energy sector demonstrates the institution’s commitment to helping Malawi strengthen its policies and achieve long-term stability.
He added that the support aligns with the World Bank’s global mission of ending extreme poverty and boosting shared prosperity by enabling access to reliable and sustainable energy.
“Since Malawi gained independence, it has always been a partner of the World Bank. Aside from Mpatamanga, we are also supporting Kapichira Hydropower, but I must emphasise that renewable energy is the way to go.
“Right now, Malawi is struggling to end deforestation across the country, and on this, the best way is to accelerate clean cooking solutions to protect trees,” he said, adding that the World Bank is also committed to supporting Malawi’s mining sector.
Meanwhile, Raad assured the Minister that the World Bank will continue supporting Malawi on matters of resilience to climate shocks.
The World Bank supports Malawi against climate shocks through direct grants, regional programmes, and project funding aimed at strengthening resilience in vulnerable communities. Initiatives include improving disaster risk management, developing protective infrastructure, enhancing social protection systems, and providing contingency financing for post-disaster recovery.
