Ministry of Labour, Skills and Innovation has moved to revise the minimum wage by soliciting input from stakeholders, with Truck Drivers Union of Malawi (TDUM) demanding K600 000 as take-home pay. In a letter dated January 16 2026 with the subject ‘Request for position papers on minimum wages’, the ministry’s Principal Secretary Nwazi Mnthambala said the ministry was seeking the input in line with Section 54 of the Employment Act of 2000 upon noting that “the factors that trigger a review of the minimum wage have been met”. The ministry set a January 21 2026 deadline for submission of the inputs.
In separate interviews yesterday, the Malawi Congress of Trade Unions (MCTU) and Employers Consultative Association of Malawi (Ecam) acknowledged receipt of the ministry’s request and said they were seeking input from their members. However, both acknowledged that the call was timely in the operating environment. On the other hand, TDUM vice-president Francis Mkandawire said they were ready with their proposal and justified it given the rising cost of living.
“During the last review, TDUM proposed K500 000 minimum wage. With the current economic situation our expectation is for a wage of not less than K600 000,” he said. MCTU president Charles Kumchenga yesterday said the union was sourcing information from affiliates before making its submission.
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He said the wage has to be adjusted considering changes in economic fundamentals since the last adjustment in June 2025. Kumchenga highlighted the increase in fuel prices, electricity tariff, rent, public transport charges and value-added tax (VAT) as some of the factors affecting employees. “Whether we want it or not, the minimum wage has to be adjusted.
But as to what level, we are yet to come up with a figure,” he said. Transporters Association of Malawi spokesperson Frank Banda said in an interview yesterday the transporters in the dry cargo sector have been struggling to make profits due to absence of a minimum transport rate. He said: “Wages come from the transport rate which a transporter is receiving.
For the government to have uniform wages in the transport sector, there has to be uniform minimum rates for us to have a base. Therefore we have advised them to bring minimum rates so that we can discuss the wages.” In a separate interview, Ecam executive director George Khaki agreed that a review of the minimum wage is timely but said economic factors such as inflation, shortage of foreign exchange and the depressed aggregate demand for goods and services need to be taken into account. He said: “So while there is need to review the minimum wage, there should also be consideration of the economic environment in which companies are operating.”
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