K3 Billion Lost: Vandalism’s Devastating Blow to Malawi’s Economy and Business Bottom Line
Key Business Points
- Vandalism is costing Escom approximately K3 billion annually, with the Southern Region districts of Phalombe, Mulanje, and Chiradzulu being the most affected areas, highlighting the need for mindset change and strategic communication to counter this trend.
- The Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) has expanded its customer base by 35% between January and July 2025, connecting around 200,000 new customers, thanks to funding support from the World Bank through the Malawi Electricity Access Project (Meap).
- Escom aims to connect nearly one million customers to power by 2030, with the help of the Accelerating Sustainable & Clean Energy Access Transformation grant of K250 million, presenting opportunities for local entrepreneurs and businesses to tap into the growing energy sector.
The Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) is facing significant losses due to vandalism, with estimated annual losses of around K3 billion. According to Escom Chief Executive Officer Kamkwamba Kumwenda, the trend is most prevalent in the Southern Region districts of Phalombe, Mulanje, and Chiradzulu. Kumwenda emphasized the need for a mindset change to address this issue, which can be achieved through professional and strategic communication. This approach is crucial in addressing the challenges facing institutions across the country, as highlighted during the 2025 World Public Relations Day in Blantyre.
Escom has made notable progress in expanding its customer base, increasing connections from 560,000 to approximately 760,000 between January and July 2025. This represents 85% of their projected connections for 2025, with Kumwenda expressing confidence that the remaining connections will be completed by December. The Malawi Electricity Access Project (Meap), funded by the World Bank, has played a significant role in this achievement, with 180,000 new customers supplied with power out of the targeted 154,000 connections by June 2025.
The Accelerating Sustainable & Clean Energy Access Transformation grant of K250 million is expected to further support Escom’s efforts to connect power to nearly one million customers by 2030. This initiative presents opportunities for local entrepreneurs and businesses to tap into the growing energy sector, which is essential for Malawi’s economic growth. As PRSM President Benson Linje noted, strategic and professional communications are vital in addressing communication-related aspects of national development, particularly in the face of widespread misinformation and disinformation. By leveraging ufulu wamoto (public relations) effectively, businesses and institutions can drive change and promote tsogolo lathu (our future) in Malawi.
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