Africa-Press – Malawi. The Ministry of Natural Resources has announced bold plans to establish gemstone processing centres across Malawi, a move expected to transform the fortunes of small-scale miners who have long been excluded from the lucrative side of the mining industry.
Speaking during the 7th Alternative Mining Indaba, held under the theme “Power to the People Owning Mining” and organised by Norwegian Church Aid and Dan Church Aid, Acting Director of Mines Mphatso Chikoti said the new centres will allow local miners to cut, polish, and process gemstones locally at a small fee—ending the costly dependency on foreign processing facilities.
“Government is putting up regulations to support the ban on the export of unprocessed minerals,” said Chikoti. “These gemstone centres will ensure that value addition happens right here in Malawi, creating jobs and increasing earnings for our small-scale miners.”
Currently, most of Malawi’s gemstones are exported in raw form, fetching minimal prices on the global market. Once processed abroad, the same stones are sold back at prices several times higher—a missed opportunity that this initiative aims to correct.
General Secretary of the Evangelical Association of Malawi (EAM), Reverend Francis Mkandawire, backed the move but urged government to go further by building local expertise and offering training in gemstone processing.
“Communities living near mining areas rarely benefit because decisions are made far from them,” he said. “We must empower local people not just to participate, but to own and benefit directly from the mineral wealth in their areas.”
If fully implemented, the government’s plan could mark a turning point for Malawi’s artisanal mining sector—turning raw stones into real wealth, creating local jobs, and ensuring that the true shine of Malawi’s minerals is seen and valued at home.
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