Macra pledges to boost local tech innovations

Macra head of international relations and corporate communications Limbani Nsapato said as the telecommunications regulator plans its National Innovation Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Awards slated for April 21 to stimulate innovation across the country’s ICT ecosystem. He said the event will provide a high-level platform for ICT start-ups, allowing researchers and enterprises to showcase their home-grown digital solutions. He said: “Recognition at this level boosts visibility and opens doors to international exposure, enabling innovators to connect with global networks and potential partners.

“This visibility not only validates their work, but it also attracts opportunities for collaboration, funding and market expansion.” Nsapato said as the world rapidly advances in the digital space, digital innovation is increasingly critical in addressing Malawi’s socio-economic challenges by offering scalable, efficient and cost-effective solutions across key sectors, highlighting the need to identify and nurture promising innovations across the country. Malawi University of Science and Technology lecturer in food science and technology Mayeso Kachingwe commended the ICT Innovation Awards initiative, saying recognising and nurturing innovative talent plays a vital role in strengthening Malawi’s capacity in science, technology and digital transformation. He said the awards provide an effective platform for exposing young innovators to potential partners, investors and policymakers.

A former student at Must, Maurice Juma, in an interview observed that many innovators struggle to sustain their projects due to limited access to resources, particularly funding, which often undermines their motivation to continue developing innovative solutions. He said: “Many innovators lack the resources, especially funding, to further develop their prototypes and they consequently lose the motivation to continue innovating,” he said. “The introduction of this initiative would greatly contribute to local problem-solving, resulting in the development of sustainable solutions that directly address the challenges faced by Malawians.” Meanwhile, Macra is calling for applications from Malawian citizens, Malawi-registered entities, ICT start-ups, small and medium enterprises, technology enterprises, students, academic institutions and research organisations and the deadline for receiving applications is March 14. The top two finalists will receive an all-expenses-paid opportunity to present their innovations at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Artificial Intelligence for Good Global Summit in Geneva, Switzerland.