By Kondwani Banda

Blantyre, June 27, MANA: Secretary for Information and Digitalisation, Baldwin Chiyamwaka says the programmes in the Digital Malawi Project and its successor, the Digital Malawi Acceleration Project are critical in improving the lives of Malawians by ensuring that they acquire the required digital skills.

Speaking during a visit to the Private Public Partnership Commission, Chiyamwaka said the project components will transform the way of living for Malawians, underscoring the importance of digital transformation on the country's economy.

He stated that the projects align with the Malawi 2063 Agenda and other broader national initiatives.

"Our programmes in the ministry, including this one being funded by the World Bank, are compliant with the Malawi 2063 vision, they are not designed outside that framework," he disclosed.

These are milestones in the projects leading to the attainment of Malawi 2063 Vision," he added.

Project Manager of Digital Malawi Project, Chimwemwe Matemba said the project scope and activities to elevate the status of the digital transformation are crucial in addressing the digital gap in Malawi.

He disclosed that the first phase of the project has achieved its target and exceeded the targets in other areas.

He added that the Digital Malawi Acceleration Project will close the gaps left by the first phase.

"Digital Malawi is actually the project that started to lay the foundation for digitalization for the country, despite this project being successful; there is need for further investment in the ICT space. This is where the Digital Malawi Acceleration Project comes in," he said.

The Digital Malawi Project, a Malawi Government initiative implemented through the Ministry of Information and Digitalisation with World Bank support, consists of two phases, the first phase is focused on digital ecosystems, connectivity, and platforms, while the second phase, the Digital Malawi Acceleration Project, aims to leverage improved connectivity and public digital service delivery capacity to accelerate digital services growth across sectors.

Some of the project's achievements include the passage of the Data Protection Act through ICT regulation, strategy, and policy development,

training and incubation of over 19,000 beneficiaries in digital skills development and innovation, support for tech-hubs with grants, with 12 tech-hubs benefiting, and connectivity of 500 public institutions, with a target of 530 by the end of the Phase 1.