Africa-Press – Malawi. Malawi’s Minister of Mining, Ken Zikhale Ng’oma, has announced that the country will host a mining investment forum from April 28 to 29, 2025, at the prestigious Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe.
Speaking at a press briefing, Ng’oma confirmed that President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera is expected to officially open the indaba as the guest of honour.
“Yes, the function is confirmed. It will take place from the 28th to 29th of April at the Bingu Conference Centre, and His Excellency the President, Dr. Lazarus Chakwera, will preside over the event,” said Ng’oma.
The minister acknowledged that the mining sector has historically been overlooked in favour of other industries. However, he expressed optimism that the newly launched Africa Mining Vision-aligned ATM Strategy offers a solid foundation for revitalizing the sector.
“In the past, we made several strategic errors by not prioritizing the mining sector. But with the ATM Strategy, we now have a more solid ground to operate from,” he explained.
Ng’oma also highlighted the lack of youth and women involvement in the sector as a major oversight.
“The youth are the most capable generation when it comes to innovation and entrepreneurship. Through mining innovations, we could begin producing our own vehicles and mobile phones, while creating employment opportunities,” he said.
During the same briefing, NICO Group donated K50 million to support the event. The Minister commended the company for its generosity.
Zizwani Khonje, Business Development Executive at NICO Group, said the company believes in partnerships that focus on local value addition, rather than merely extracting and exporting raw minerals.
“For us, it’s about helping the country while also creating opportunities for our businesses. We operate in banking, insurance, technology, asset management, and other sectors,” said Khonje.
He emphasized the importance of local participation in mining, noting that since the resources are based in Malawi, locals must play a leadership role.
“One major bottleneck is a lack of understanding of the mining sector within the financial services industry. We’ve started addressing this since last year and are identifying gaps, especially in exploration, which is heavily dependent on funding,” he added.
The upcoming mining indaba is expected to attract key stakeholders, investors, and policymakers to deliberate on unlocking Malawi’s mineral wealth and enhancing its contribution to the country’s economic growth.
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