Malawi is turning to Ghana for guidance as it seeks to accelerate its digital transformation and strengthen the foundations of its emerging digital economy. The initiative reflects a growing trend of technology cooperation among African nations, where governments increasingly share policy frameworks, regulatory models and technical expertise to speed up innovation and digital adoption across the continent.
The proposal for collaboration was discussed during the Mobile World Congress 2026 held in Barcelona from March 2 to March 5. The global event brings together governments, telecommunications operators, technology companies and digital policy leaders to discuss the future of connectivity and digital ecosystems worldwide.
During the event, Malawi’s Minister of Information and Digitization, Shadric Namalomba, formally invited Ghana’s Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation, Samuel Nartey George, to establish a bilateral partnership that would allow Malawi to replicate some of Ghana’s digital success stories. Ghana has developed one of Africa’s more advanced digital ecosystems, particularly in fintech innovation, digital identity systems and e government services.
According to Samuel Nartey George, Malawi has expressed interest in adopting Ghanaian expertise across several critical digital sectors. These include fintech development, national digital identification systems, last mile connectivity, rural internet access powered by reliable energy solutions, e government platforms, smart workplace systems, agricultural technology solutions, digital education platforms, health technology innovations and emerging applications of artificial intelligence.
To move the partnership forward, the Ghanaian minister plans to lead a delegation of approximately 15 to 20 technology companies from Ghana to Malawi in the coming months. The delegation is expected to explore opportunities for implementing digital infrastructure projects and deploying technology solutions tailored to Malawi’s development priorities. These initiatives could include digital identity platforms, fintech infrastructure and modern e government systems aimed at improving public service delivery.
George indicated that Ghana is also prepared to share legislative frameworks and policy strategies that have supported its digital transformation. This includes revised digital laws and regulatory models as well as Ghana’s national artificial intelligence strategy. Such policy sharing can help accelerate digital development by allowing countries to adopt proven frameworks rather than starting entirely from scratch.
The collaboration comes at a time when Malawi is intensifying efforts to make digital technology a central pillar of national economic development. The country has already launched the Digital Malawi Programme, a major initiative supported by the World Bank. The program aims to expand digital infrastructure, improve internet access, strengthen public digital services and create a more inclusive digital economy that benefits citizens, businesses and government institutions.
Despite these ambitions, Malawi continues to face significant structural challenges in its digital development. According to the United Nations E Government Development Index, Malawi ranked 163rd globally in 2024 with a score of 0.3753. This score places the country below both regional and global averages in digital government maturity.
Connectivity also remains a major hurdle. Data from the International Telecommunication Union indicates that Malawi scored about 35 out of 100 in the ICT Development Index for 2025. Internet penetration in the country is estimated at roughly 18 percent, highlighting the significant gap in digital access compared with many other regions of the world.
Cybersecurity capacity represents another area where Malawi continues to develop. According to the ITU Global Cybersecurity Index, the country is classified at tier three out of five levels of maturity. This indicates that while Malawi has made progress in establishing regulatory frameworks and institutional coordination, further improvements are needed in technical capabilities, digital resilience and international cybersecurity cooperation.
In contrast, Ghana has emerged as one of Africa’s digital leaders. The country is classified at the highest global maturity level in cybersecurity according to the ITU. In the United Nations E Government Development Index, Ghana ranks 108th worldwide with a score of 0.6317, significantly higher than both the regional average for West Africa and the overall African average.
Ghana’s growing reputation in digital governance and technology innovation has increasingly attracted attention from other African nations seeking to modernize their digital ecosystems. Before Malawi initiated its partnership discussions, Zambia had also expressed interest in learning from Ghana’s digital policy framework to accelerate its own technological modernization.
Experts say that such South South collaborations could play an important role in Africa’s broader digital development strategy. Instead of relying solely on external partners from Europe, Asia or North America, African nations are increasingly leveraging homegrown expertise and regional success stories to drive technological progress.
If successfully implemented, the partnership between Malawi and Ghana could strengthen digital infrastructure, expand access to online services and help build a more resilient technology ecosystem in Malawi. The initiative may also contribute to deeper regional cooperation in technology policy, innovation and digital entrepreneurship across the African continent.