In January of 2022, I was entrusted as a young entrepreneur and tech hub founder in Malawi, with the honor of facilitating a panel discussion with the National Planning Commission (NPC) on Malawi 2063.
As facilitator, I asked a lot of questions — questions about our role as young people, about how we turn vision into action, and about what self-reliance really looks like for Malawi.
At the time, I thought those questions were for the panelists (my fellow young entrepreneurs, and the Government representatives there present). Today, I realize the questions I was asking were also for me.
The thing about Malawi 2063 — our shared vision for a self-reliant, industrialized, middle-income nation — is that it’s not just a policy document. It’s a challenge. It’s a call to action that demands we rethink how we learn, how we work, and how we see ourselves in the global economy.
What I’ve Learned Since That Panel
By Nthanda Manduwi – Economist, Policy Analyst, and Development Advocate
Over the past year, through my work both locally and internationally with the United Nations but also my own initiatives like the Kwathu Kollective, CIDCON Africa, and countless conversations with fellow innovators and policymakers, I’ve come to understand that Malawi 2063 isn’t just about government projects, donor conferences, or official launches.
It is about us — the students, the entrepreneurs, the creators, the professionals, the doers.
The biggest lesson I’ve learned is this: National visions are only as strong as the personal visions of the people expected to carry them forward.
If we — the next generation — can’t see ourselves in the MW2063 story, it will remain just that: a story.
What MW2063 Actually Says (and What It Means for Us)
Here’s what stands out to me now, reading MW2063 with clearer eyes and a stronger sense of personal responsibility:
- Pillar 1: Agriculture Productivity and Commercialization
Agriculture isn’t just farming — it’s the business of feeding nations. For students in agri-science, business, and even tech, this means reimagining farming as data-driven agribusiness, building systems that not only feed Malawi, but export food innovation across Africa. - Pillar 2: Industrialization
Industrialization isn’t just factories — it’s making things Malawi can sell to the world. For engineering, economics, and logistics students, this is a direct call to design local manufacturing solutions that can compete globally. - Pillar 3: Urbanization
Urbanization isn’t just buildings — it’s designing cities that work for everyone. For architecture, urban planning, and environmental science students, MW2063 is a challenge to rethink housing, transport, and energy from the ground up. - Mindset Change (Cross-cutting Enabler)
This is the part we don’t talk about enough — the quiet psychological shift from seeing ourselves as aid recipients to solution creators. Every student, regardless of field, has a role to play in proving that Malawians can solve for Malawi, and those solutions can serve the world.
From Questions to Actions — What This Means for University Students
If you’re a university student today, here’s what MW2063 is really asking of you:
- See your studies as part of a national mission.
You’re not just getting a degree to survive — you’re building expertise to solve real problems, not just for yourself, but for your community and your country. - Turn class projects into national solutions.
Whether you’re in tech, business, science, or the arts, challenge yourself to work on projects that address real issues Malawi faces — climate change, youth unemployment, food security, digital inclusion. - Build networks across disciplines.
Industrialization, for example, isn’t just for engineers — it needs designers, economists, supply chain experts, environmentalists, communicators, and more. Your future collaborators are sitting in classrooms across campus. - Ask better questions.
Not just “What job will I get?” but “What industry can I create?”
Not just “What is government doing?” but “What are we, the next generation, willing to build — together?” - Own the mindset shift.
Self-reliance isn’t just a government policy — it’s a personal philosophy.
Start seeing yourself not just as a job seeker, but a problem solver — someone who can create value, not just extract it.
Full-Circle Moment:
That MW2063 panel was me asking what our role is.
Today, I realize the better question is:
Are we ready to take it on?
The work I’m doing with CIDCON Africa 2025, and our collaboration with the Department of Innovation and Creativity under the Office of the President and Cabinet, is my own personal response to that question.
But it’s not just my responsibility — it’s ours.
Malawi 2063 isn’t something we watch happen. It’s something we build — with our ideas, our hands, and our refusal to wait for permission to lead.
In pursuit of Malawi’s development,
Ntha
CONNECT WITH NTHANDA ONLINE:
About the Author
