Economic experts have expressed worry over a significant concentration of domestic debt maturing between 2025 and 2027, saying it makes it difficult for the government to meet obligations without further borrowing.
This, coupled with current economic challenges and the upcoming elections, exerts pressure on the fiscus, according to commentators.
A debt bulletin for the first quarter of the 2024-2025 financial year published by the Ministry of Finance shows that total domestic public debt amounted to K8.01 trillion, an increase of 5.5 percent from K7.59 trillion as at end-March 2024.
Of the total, K6.19 trillion was secured through Treasury notes, K799.61 billion through Treasury bills, K677.66 billion were promissory notes while K198.47 billion was in ways and means advances from the Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM). About K146.66 billion was in domestic loans.
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Of particularly concern is the short maturity lifespan of the majority of these domestic debts, which account for 38.5 percent of the total debt.
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This is happening on the back of Malawi’s economic vulnerability to both external and domestic shocks, which affect government revenue generation, thereby increasing appetite for borrowing.
In an interview, economist Velli Nyirongo said the upcoming elections may also divert attention from economic management.
“To address these challenges, the government could consider several strategies. Debt restructuring, involving negotiations with creditors to extend repayment terms, reduce interest rates or convert debt into equity could provide some relief.
“Fiscal consolidation measures aimed at reducing government spending and increasing revenue can improve debt sustainability,” Nyirongo said.
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Another economist, Marvin Banda, said the underlying factor to the debt is failure to employ fiscal discipline in times of economic turmoil.
“The past four years have seen the greatest increase in public debt in Malawi’s history and this will not slow down anytime soon,” he said.
But in a recent interview, Minister of Finance Simplex Chithyola Banda said efforts are being enhanced and negotiations are ongoing with China, the India Exim bank and local commercial creditors, to have uniform conditions.
He said the government wants conditions to be uniform and standardised.
