Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi ( ESCOM) Limited signed a commercial agreement with Fibrecom of Zambia in Lilongwe on Thursday, 24th August 2023 in a bid to lower the cost of data between the two countries.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, ESCOM Chief Executive Officer, Kamkwamba Kumwenda, said the ultimate aim of the agreement is to reduce the cost of data.
“The Diplomatic Data Corridor Agreement which has been signed today, lays the foundation for such connectivity to cater for the communication needs of the present and future generations. ESCOM as the implementing agency, on behalf of the Malawi government, is committed and ready to provide digital services that are available, reliable, and affordable.
“ESCOM, being 100 percent government owned, has always believed in investing in our people, and we remain committed to empowering all regardless of their location—our ultra-fast and high-capacity network will enable our citizens to participate in the digital transactions just like the rest of the world.” ESCOM Limited and Fibrecom signed the agreement in their capacities as implementing agencies for the Diplomatic Data Corridor between the governments of Malawi and Zambia.
Malawi’s Minister of Information and Digitalisation, Moses Kunkuyu, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with his Zambian counterpart Felix Mutati on the sidelines of the same ceremony in Lilongwe. Speaking after signing the MoU, Kunkuyu said it was the wish of the government to ensure that the entire country is digitilised in line with Malawi 2063 vision.
“This agreement will enable ESCOM to purchase internet at a friendly cost and help bring down the cost of data in Malawi…digitilisation is a vehicle we cannot afford to miss if we talk about transformation of Malawi,” he said. Taking his turn, Mutati said the government of Zambia will continue to work with Malawi in ensuring that people of the two countries have access to cheaper internet as it is the catalyst for development.
Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority Director General, Daud Suleman, said ESCOM Limited has an important role to play in ensuring the country attains its dream of full digitization by among others, lowering the cost of data.
Taking his turn, Mutati said the government of Zambia will continue to work with Malawi in ensuring that people of the two countries have access to cheaper internet as it is the catalyst for development. Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority Director General, Daud Suleman, said ESCOM Limited has an important role to play in ensuring the country attains its dream of full digitization by among others, lowering the cost of data.
Today marks another significant milestone in our country as we continue to sing the song that data is falling….the agreement allows Malawi to use the government infrastructure in Zambia at a reasonable cost,” Suleman said. It is time now for ESCOM to reflex its proper muscle…ESCOM has the huge potential to transform the digital platform so that we can have world-class internet services in Malawi.”
The MoU is part of Malawi government’s efforts to bring down the cost of data to increase access to internet and spur economic development. The corridor agreement entails establishing a passage of internet through Zambia to Malawi. The agreement allows Malawi to use government infrastructure in Zambia at a reasonable cost. Connection to internet happens either through satellite or through undersea fibre cables. Fibre cables offers advantages such as reasonable price, reliability and availability, according to Optic Fibre Manager Chester Kabinda.
Malawi will be able to buy the internet at the port in either from Namibia or Angola or any other source and transport it through FibreCom infrastructure at a low cost.