Businesses in Malawi have been urged to take advantage of the growing opportunities in intra-Africa trade to boost the export earnings and expand into the continent’s vast markets.
The call comes as Malawi prepares to participate in the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2025)—Africa’s largest trade exhibition—set for September 4–10, 2025, in Algiers, Algeria.
The fair presents opportunities in trade and investment deals worth $44 billion.
Ministry of Trade and Industry spokesperson Patrick Botha said IATF2025 presents a strategic platform for Malawian businesses to enter new African markets under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework.
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“Malawian businesses will have the opportunity to showcase their products and services, establish strategic partnerships, and tap into high-growth sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, ICT, and services.
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“So, this is a chance for our businesses to expand beyond borders and help drive Malawi’s trade ambitions forward,” Botha said.
He encouraged local businesses to register for the trade fair and fully leverage the platform.
Export Development Fund Communications Specialist Deliby Chimbalu stressed the importance of strategic preparation, especially in promoting key agricultural exports like groundnuts, soybeans and rice.
“Export Development Fund stands ready to support companies that will secure export markets with our export financing facilities. But the first step is showing up with the right products and the right preparation,” Chimbalu said.
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Economic expert Velli Nyirongo noted that to maximize gains from IATF2025, Malawi should focus on sectors where it holds a comparative advantage or high growth potential.
“Agriculture and agro-processing remain the backbone of Malawi’s economy, contributing over 22 percent to GDP. The country can benefit significantly from promoting value-added exports such as macadamia, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, mangoes, tea, and processed foods,” Nyirongo said.
He also pointed to mining as a promising growth area, with Malawi emerging as a source of uranium, rare earth elements, and other strategic minerals, which could attract large-scale foreign investment.
Nyirongo further emphasized the importance of the Agriculture- Tourism-Mining-Manufacturing (ATM-M) strategy, which aims to drive industrial growth, reduce import dependence, and create jobs.
Nyirongo added that Malawi should use IATF2025 to deepen its engagement in regional integration, leveraging its strategic position within COMESA and AfCFTA to become a gateway to broader African markets and supply chains.
Organised by the Afreximbank, the African Union Commission, and the AfCFTA Secretariat, the IATF2025 is set to attract over 2,000 exhibitors, 35,000 visitors, and participants from over 140 countries.
