Malawi’s President Lazarus Chakwera has launched phase II of the country’s national fibre backbone project, central to the country’s digital transformation.

The project is being implemented by Huawei Technologies and will include nearly 3, 000 kilometres of fibre optic cables.

Chakwera said the project is critical to digitally enhance Malawi’s economy, society and government. “This fibre backbone is at once an infrastructure that we need as a nation in order to keep up with a world that is moving towards all things smart, a platform for enhancing our human capital through the attainment of the skills demanded by the digital future we are entering and an instrument for revolutionalising our governance by digitalising it for greater efficiency and effectiveness.”

Vice president for Huawei Southern Africa region Liao Yong said the company is excited to roll out the historical project as a way of contributing to Malawi’s development.

Yong said, “In addition to connecting cities, the project will also connect over 100, 000 businesses and homes across the country.”

The first phase of the project, implemented by Huawei in conjunction with the Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi, was completed in 2018 and covered 28 districts.