Bharti Airtel plans to invest $25 million to develop its 3G network and m-commerce platform in Malawi.

Manoj Kohli, the firm’s managing director, revealed the company’s plans during a visit to the Southern African country where he paid a courtesy call to President Joyce Banda.

“Our objective is to provide our customers with innovative mobile services that will help fuel the economic and social development of Malawi. Our investment of $25 million in the development of the 3G network and introduction of Airtel Money are a clear demonstration of our commitment to deepen our network and bridge the digital divide,” he said in Lilongwe.

Among the projects set for upgrade is Airtel's High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) 3G network.

Kohli said his company was also committed to ensuring that Airtel Money services are accessible to those in Malawi.

The platform allows consumers to send and receive money, directly pay their critical utility bills, provide access to their bank accounts and even top up their phones with air time. The Airtel Money service has been rolled-out in neighbouring countries such as Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.