Mining & Trade News

As the new administration has completed its first 100 days in office, stakeholders in the minerals sector have acknowledged early positive policy signals in the sector while questioning the absence of concrete reforms, particularly in governance, community protection and Artisanal and Small Scale Mining (ASMs).

Civil Society Organasations working in the sector say the administration has taken a cautious approach, marked more by continuity than decisive reform.

National Coordinator for Natural Resources Jusctice Network (NRJN) Kennedy Rashid, said the government’s performance during the period has been moderate, with limited tangible outcomes.

“The government’s performance during the first 100 days has been moderate but largely cautious. While public messaging has highlighted the importance of mining to economic recovery, tangible outcomes remain limited,” Rashid said.

He said positive signals such as the directive on value addition to minerals have yet to translate into visible actions that improve mining governance, accountability or community outcomes.

Rashid observed that few structural changes have been implemented to restore public confidence, particularly in addressing unlicensed and unregulated ASM activities that continue to affect communities.

He explained that early government statements on investor confidence and the ban on raw mineral exports suggest intent, but deeper reforms remain absent. He cited limited progress on beneficiation frameworks, fair taxation, public disclosure of mining contracts, beneficial ownership transparency and systematic publication of mineral revenue data.

“We have not seen decisive reforms on contract transparency or public disclosure of mining agreements, despite the existence of annual EITI reports,” Rashid said.

He said oversight institutions such as the Malawi Environmental Protection Authority (MEPA) and the Malawi Mining and Mineral Resources Regulatory Authority (MMRA) continue to operate with limited public information-sharing, noting that transparency requires enforceable systems rather than declarations.

For mining-affected communities, Rashid said daily realities remain unchanged, with continued land displacement, environmental degradation, inadequate compensation and weak consultation processes, especially in areas impacted by informal ASM activities.

“There has been no clear improvement in grievance redress mechanisms or community participation, leaving communities excluded from decision-making and disconnected from the promised benefits of mineral extraction,” he said.

Rashid described the absence of a clear reform roadmap within the first 100 days as a missed opportunity saying the government could have outlined timelines for beneficiation, green minerals development, contract review and stronger environmental enforcement.

He called for the immediate publication of mining contracts, licences and revenues, increased state investment through Malawi Mining Investment Company (MAMICO), protection of community rights and the development of a national green minerals’ strategy.

Concerns are more pronounced among ASMs who say recent policy decisions have worsened conditions in the subsector. Percy Maleta, President of the Federation of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining in Malawi (FASMIM), said the ban on the export of raw minerals has had a direct and negative impact on ASM operations, which depend heavily on export markets. “While we welcome the consultations now taking place around export regulations, these should have come before imposing a ban, not after,” Maleta said.

He said access to licences has deteriorated following the suspension of ASM licence issuance and renewal without clear communication. Maleta added that markets remain constrained, noting that the Export Development Fund focuses mainly on gold and top-grade gemstones, leaving the bulk of ASM production without a structured market.

“The ASM subsector is currently in a worse position than at any other time in the history of gemstone mining and trading in Malawi,” he said.

FASMIM has called for the urgent lifting of the export ban, decentralisation of ASM licensing, technical and equipment support through MAMICO, improved gold purchasing mechanisms and a more human-centred approach to mining policy.

From a development and private-sector perspective, ActionAid Malawi says the government has shown goodwill, but policy gaps remain. In an interview, Project Officer for the Climate Just Transition for Mining-Affected Communities Project at ActionAid Malawi, Charles Finis Phiri, said the government has taken steps to strengthen the legal, regulatory and institutional framework of the mining sector.

“The government has empowered the Ministry of Mining and strengthened the Mining and Mineral Resources Regulatory Authority, which is likely to inspire investor confidence,” Phiri said. However, he said early actions have created both opportunities and uncertainties, particularly for artisanal miners affected by the raw mineral export ban, while beneficiation and formalisation efforts remain slow.

Phiri said processing minerals locally could maximise revenue, foster industrialisation, create jobs and support the establishment of a Sovereign Wealth Fund. He added that coordination gaps persist, especially around community participation, calling for amendments to extend Community Development Agreements to medium-scale operations and strengthen the role of local councils and traditional leaders.

He said the mining sector has the potential to increase its contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) beyond one percent if supported by investment in beneficiation, institutional capacity building, transparency in licensing and revenue management, local participation and infrastructure development.

From a youth and academic perspective, some progress has been acknowledged, particularly in stakeholder engagement and skills development.

Ezala Banda, a mining student at the Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS) and a member of the Future Miners Network, said government-led sensitisation meetings involving senior officials have helped improve understanding of mining laws, safety and sustainability among community leaders and local stakeholders. “These engagements help communities and youths understand how mining should be done legally and safely,” Banda said.

He said the government’s emphasis on value addition positions mining as a pillar of the Agriculture, Tourism and Mining (ATM) strategy, with potential to create jobs and boost national revenue. However, he noted that youth inclusion remains limited, with few practical entry points beyond formal education, and that internships and employment opportunities remain scarce.

Globally, mining remains a capital-intensive sector whose developmental impact depends on strong institutions, effective regulation, value addition and inclusive benefit-sharing. Countries that align mineral extraction with industrial policy, skills development and community participation tend to achieve broader economic gains, while weak governance often limits the sector’s contribution to sustainable growth.

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