In 2016, Treasury signed K17.2 billion concessional loan with China for the Malawi National Fibre Backbone Project to connect 24 districts, as the initiative was aimed at the country’s Internet connectivity and therefore lower Internet charges.

4 years later, Minister of Information Gospel Kazako says government’s investments towards improved InternetConnectivity are being hindered by high tariffs. During a recent interactive information and communication technology (ICT) stakeholders meeting, it was established that Malawi has poor Internet connectivity, coupled with high

charges, low penetration rates and poor service provision.

Last year, Open Connect Limited Chief Executive Officer, Stella Senti, suggested that Malawi’s geographical position could be the reason why the country suffers from high internet costs. According to Senti, Malawi, being a landlocked country, makes it difficult to bring internet, so borders amidst Mozambique or Tanzania and Zambia must be crossed in order to provide internet. She also said that another reason for expensive internet is that the equipment which is used in the country is not locally manufactured, hence import costs.

According to tradingeconomics.com, Internet Speed in Malawi averaged 825.29 KBps from 2007 until 2017, reaching an all time high of 1909.80 KBps in the fourth quarter of 2014 and a record low of 86.23 KBps in the third quarter of 2009. On the other hand, the Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI) report established that consumers in African countries are paying some of the highest rates in the world for internet access,