Minister of Information and Communications Technology, Dr Shadric Namalomba, has challenged the private sector, financial institutions and development partners to invest in locally developed innovations to accelerate industrialisation, create employment opportunities and stimulate economic growth.
Speaking during the Second Mzuzu University Open Innovation Day on Tuesday, Namalomba said Malawi has significant creative potential but continues to face challenges in turning innovative ideas into commercially viable products due to limited financial and technical support.
“Our greatest challenge is ensuring that promising ideas do not die because their creators lack financing, mentorship, equipment or market access,” he said.
Namalomba also observed that more than 70 percent of Malawians cannot afford smartphones, urging local innovators to explore opportunities in smartphone manufacturing and assembly as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s technological and industrial capacity.
Meanwhile, Mzuzu University Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Simeon Gwayi, said the institution was shifting its focus towards promoting innovation and industrialisation as key areas of its academic and development agenda.
The event also recognised outstanding innovation, with final-year ICT student Christopher Rayan Kuchawao named Best Innovator for developing Msambizi, an artificial intelligence (AI) platform designed to provide personalised academic support using course materials and recorded voices of lecturers.
The innovation is aimed at helping students access learning support through technology, demonstrating the potential of locally developed solutions in addressing challenges within the education sector.
