Africa-Press – Malawi. Standard Bank Plc has stepped up its environmental agenda, committing an additional MK50 million to re-afforestation efforts along the Dr. Saulos Chilima Highway and Mzimba Street in Lilongwe—areas impacted by the expansion of the road it helped finance.
As the lead financier of Malawi’s first six-lane highway, the bank says the move is part of a deliberate push to restore tree cover lost during construction, reinforcing its stance that infrastructure development must not come at the expense of the environment.
The investment falls under the bank’s climate resilience programme, Mtengo Wanga (My Tree), which aligns with Standard Bank Group’s Blue Roots initiative—a broader effort to restore degraded landscapes across its operating countries. In Malawi, the programme stands out for integrating infrastructure development, urban greening, and community impact into one coordinated approach.
Launched on Earth Day (22 April), the initiative brought together bank executives, Lilongwe City Council, the Roads Fund Administration, and community members for a symbolic tree-planting exercise, alongside the formal handover of the project to the council.
The Dr. Saulos Chilima Highway and Mzimba Road project is a key urban artery linking the city centre, Kamuzu Central Hospital, and the central business district—expected to boost mobility and economic activity. But Standard Bank acknowledges the environmental trade-offs that came with it.
Chief Executive Phillip Madinga said the re-afforestation drive reflects a broader philosophy: development without sustainability is short-sighted.
“As we invest in Malawi’s growth, we recognize that development must go hand in hand with environmental responsibility. Mtengo Wanga is not a symbolic gesture; it is a commitment to ensure progress is matched with environmental stewardship,” said Madinga.
Through a partnership with Lilongwe City Council—its second under the programme—the bank aims to embed long-term sustainability into urban planning. The initiative builds on an earlier collaboration with World Vision International Malawi, a three-year project targeting the restoration of 350 hectares of land and benefiting over 10,000 people, including school-going children.
Lilongwe Mayor Councillor Peter Alex Banda welcomed the move, describing it as critical to the city’s vision of becoming greener and cleaner.
“We had trees along this road before construction. Initiatives like this are what will help us restore that and transform the face of Lilongwe. We need more partners like Standard Bank,” he said.
Roads Fund Administration Chief Executive Officer Stewart Malata echoed the call, stressing that infrastructure projects must account for environmental impact.
“During construction, we removed trees. This exercise is about restoring what was lost. Sustainable infrastructure means balancing development with environmental preservation,” he said.
With this latest investment, Standard Bank is positioning itself not just as a financier of development, but as a stakeholder in Malawi’s environmental future—making the case that economic progress and ecological responsibility must move together, not apart.
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