Malawi has activated a new telecommunications tower in Lilongwe Nyanja, bringing the number of operational sites under the government’s Last Mile Rural Connectivity Project to 36 as it works toward a target of 136 towers in underserved communities.
Information and Digitalisation Minister Shadric Namalomba launched the Kalira tower, which is intended to improve access to mobile connectivity, internet services and digital payments in an area where commercial network deployment has previously been constrained by limited economic returns.
Five additional towers are currently under construction, while the government aims to complete 16 sites during the current financial year.
Government targets 136 shared rural towers
The Last Mile Rural Connectivity Project is designed to address coverage gaps in communities where the economics of conventional commercial network investment can make infrastructure deployment difficult.
The government ultimately plans to deploy 136 telecommunications towers that can be shared by Malawi's mobile operators and managed through the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA).
Namalomba said the infrastructure could improve access to services across education, healthcare, agriculture and commerce in communities that have historically lacked reliable connectivity.
The minister also encouraged mobile operators to make use of the new infrastructure and called on traditional leaders to support the allocation and protection of land required for telecommunications sites.
Project has expanded over several years
The Last Mile programme has been under development for several years, with the number of operational towers gradually increasing.
A 2024 Southern African Development Community project overview reported that 28 towers had been constructed at the time, of which 17 were operational.
The broader programme also included plans for a 3,000-kilometre expansion of Malawi's national fibre backbone, connecting rural access infrastructure with wider national telecommunications networks.
More recent figures cited by the Nyasa Times indicate that 35 towers were already operational nationally before the Kalira activation, taking the total to 36.
Five sites were reported as recently completed, including Kalira.
Huawei involved in tower rollout
Huawei has been the primary private contractor associated with the Last Mile infrastructure programme.
Earlier reports identified Huawei Malawi as the contractor responsible for constructing towers under the project, while Malawi's state news agency reported in 2025 that the company had been selected to deliver a Last Mile tower in Mchinji.
The current update does not provide details on the cost of the Kalira site, its technical specifications, coverage radius, available mobile technologies or which operators will initially provide services through it.
Land, power and maintenance remain challenges
Infrastructure construction is only one part of expanding sustainable rural connectivity.
The Last Mile rollout has faced challenges involving land disputes, electricity supply and maintenance. The government is working with telecom operators, MACRA and technical partners to address those issues.
Reliable power is particularly important for rural telecom infrastructure, where sites can be located far from dependable electricity networks and may require alternative energy arrangements.
Infrastructure sharing is also central to the project's economics. Allowing multiple operators to use the same towers can reduce duplication and make serving lower-density communities more commercially viable.
Malawi still faces large mobile internet usage gap
Expanding physical coverage does not automatically translate into greater internet adoption.
The GSMA recently estimated that around 80% of Malawians remain offline despite living within areas covered by mobile networks, highlighting a substantial gap between network availability and actual mobile internet use.
The organisation estimated that addressing this usage gap could contribute approximately $637 million to Malawi's economy.
This means the Last Mile programme addresses only one component of the country's connectivity challenge. Device affordability, digital skills, service affordability and the availability of relevant digital services will also influence whether newly connected communities become active internet users.
Source: MEA Tech Watch Press Reporter
