MRA, traders resolve VAT system impasse

Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) and traders, who protested implementation of electronic invoicing system (EIS) of collecting value-added tax (VAT), have resolved their impasse. In an interview after a meeting in Blantyre yesterday, Small Scale Business Importers and Exporters Association of Malawi chairperson Robert Nachamba said their talks with MRA officials led by Commissioner General Felix Tambulasi clarified most of the issues that prompted them to close their businesses. “MRA has clarified all our fears and from now on wards all the shops will be fully opened.

We urge our members that if they face challenges in relation to EIS they should contact the association’s leadership and will be ready to support,” he said. From May 1 2026, VAT-registered shop owners closed their businesses in protest against the introduction of EIS to replace electronic fiscal devices (EFD) introduced in 2014. The traders were protesting the implementation of the EIS, especially requirements under the new system compelling them to declare stock values and comply with electronic invoicing procedures, which they say are costly and difficult to implement.

However, most shops in the country’s major cities and trading centres remained closed yesterday. On his part, Nachamba said the association’s position remains that businesses should reopen. Meanwhile, Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) has called for “genuine consultations and immediate review” of the EIS implementation, noting that the stand-off risks worsening economic tensions and undermining public trust.

[paywall]

MRA initially set to roll out EIS on November 1 2025, but shifted to February 1 2026 after traders raised concerns and the need for more awareness. MRA again pushed the implementation date to May 1 2026 after more protests.

[/paywall]