Malawi has made a further stride toward building an ethical and participatory artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem by validating its Artificial Intelligence Readiness Assessment Methodology Report, which will support the future AI strategy and policy framework for the country.
The validation workshop was conducted in Lilongwe and drew participants from the government, development partners, academics and industry. The event was organised by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation Regional Office for Southern Africa (UNESCO-ROSA). It provided an opportunity to review the findings and recommendations of the report on enhancing Malawi’s AI preparedness.
During the workshop, Secretary for Education, Science and Technology Dr Ken Ndala said the assessment is a critical stepping stone on the country’s AI pathway.
He said that in Malawi, it is important to know where we are on the AI readiness scale to ensure that we use AI effectively for the good of our people.
The assessment will help to identify the country’s strengths and gaps in key areas such as policy and regulation, digital infrastructure, institutional capacity and human capital, said Dr Ndala. The results will help government prioritise investments for the responsible use of AI and fast-track national development, he said.
This assessment comes as part of a regional assessment exercise underway by UNESCO to gauge the AI readiness of six countries in the region, which was initiated in 2025. The programme is based on UNESCO’s Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence. It aims to assist governments in formulating national AI strategies that foster innovation and uphold ethical principles and human rights.
Dr Abdul Rahman Lamin, head of Social and Human Sciences at UNESCO, highlighted that, though AI has great promise of enhancing service delivery and contributing to socio-economic development, there are concerns about privacy, cybersecurity, and safeguarding fundamental human rights.
The assessment helps governments understand if they have the necessary institutions, regulatory frameworks, and governance mechanisms ready to go for the responsible use of AI technologies, he said.
The report identifies a few structural issues which may impact Malawi’s AI ambitions. Lack of digital infrastructure is still a significant challenge, as only 27.7% of people have access to the internet and only 4.2% of households own a computer. This connectivity restriction remains a major obstacle to the widespread adoption of AI-driven technologies.
Additionally, the study reveals that Malawi’s educational system needs to undergo significant transformation to equip students for an AI era. It suggests that curricula be revised to enhance digital literacy and that they continue to emphasise critical thinking, creativity and problem-solving.
The report has made several recommendations, including developing AI systems that are locally relevant and designed to reduce social, gender, and youth-related bias. It also calls for robust data governance and privacy regulations, increased digital infrastructure investments, heightened cybersecurity measures and resilient energy infrastructure, and close partnership between government, academia and the private sector in supporting the implementation of Malawi’s upcoming national AI policy.
The assessment report’s validation is a crucial step in Malawi’s progress toward creating an innovative, inclusive, and ethics-driven AI ecosystem.
