In Malawi, projections indicate that over 85% of schools may lack internet access by the year 2026. Despite the government’s ambition to digitise the economy and equip its youth for future job opportunities, a recent official report has highlighted substantial structural deficiencies within the education system.
Malawi aims to become a competitive player in Africa’s digital landscape. However, the data starkly contrast with this vision. The School Connectivity Landscape Analysis Report, unveiled on April 17th by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, examines 8,939 schools nationwide catering to more than 6 million students. Alarmingly, 85.8% of these institutions currently lack internet connectivity.
This analysis is not based on guesswork. It stems from meticulous research conducted under the UNICEF-ITU Giga partnership, an initiative dedicated to connecting schools worldwide by 2030, which ensures that each school is accurately mapped with verified GPS coordinates.
Compounding the issue, nearly 47% of schools in Malawi also lack reliable electricity, rendering any potential internet connection unattainable. These challenges are deeply interconnected.
The implications of this data for the future of Malawian students are profound. Behind the numbers lies an entire generation being educated without access to vital tools that will be essential in their future workplaces. By January 2025, only 18% of Malawi’s population is projected to be internet users, totalling 3.95 million out of 21.9 million. The lack of digital access for today’s schoolchildren could perpetuate this low usage rate. Currently, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) reports fewer than 1 fixed broadband subscription per 100 inhabitants, leaving many students without access to information retrieval, word processing, or online communication. In an evolving job market across Africa, these deficiencies represent significant barriers to employment opportunities.
Malawi’s digital infrastructure lags behind the sub-Saharan African average, as highlighted in a 2024 study published on ResearchGate, which puts the nation at a structural disadvantage compared to its neighbouring countries. Although some initiatives are underway, their effects appear limited. The BEFIT (Building Education Foundations through Innovation and Technology) program, initiated in 2023, has successfully introduced solar energy to 500 schools, benefitting 277,000 students, according to the Global Partnership for Education. Furthermore, in September 2025, the Malawi Authority for Africa’s Regulatory Commission (MACRA) launched phase two of the Connect A School project, which aims to establish 120 new computer labs with free internet access for 3 years.
Encouragingly, a World Bank report issued in June 2025 points to significant progress. The Digital Foundations project has significantly reduced wholesale internet prices, bringing them from US$460 per Mbps/month in 2017 to under US$10 by 2024. While this represents notable progress, many rural communities, where over 80% of the population resides, continue to see minimal benefits. A significant journey lies ahead to bridge these gaps and empower Malawi’s future generations.
