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MWEITI cautions Govt. on raw mineral export ban
July 11, 2026 / Tawonga Nyirenda Mayuni
The Malawi Extractives Industry Transparency Initiative (MWEITI) has warned in its 2024/2025 report that the Malawi Government’s raw mineral exportation ban is premature, citing the lack of cutting and polishing industry as a key concern.
The ban, issued by State President Arthur Peter Mutharika in October 2025, prohibits the export of raw minerals such as rare earth elements, gold, uranium, rutile, gemstones, niobium and limestone. The aim is to encourage domestic processing in so doing creating jobs, and capture more value from mineral resources through strict enforcement.
MWEITI says the proposed framework seeks to ensure that minerals extracted in the country undergo processing or value addition locally before being exported. It acknowledges in the report that this policy aligns with MW2063, which recognizes industrialization, job creation, and value chain development as vital drivers of economic transformation.
However, MWEITI observes that stakeholders have expressed mixed reactions about the country’s current processing capacity.
It says while some view the policy as a positive step toward industrialization and employment generation, others warn that insufficient processing infrastructure and limited market access could hinder the growth of Malawi’s mining sector. The report observes that the Multi-Stakeholder Group (MSG) and other industry players support the government’s vision but advocate for a more phased and consultative approach to implementation.
MWEITI states: “The MSG and many other stakeholders were not consulted; this was a presidential directive.”
“Executive Orders are necessary through consultation and must consider the country’s energy availability and the presence of chemical industries.
It also points out that chemical and process engineers need to be locally available to support mineral value addition initiatives.
MWEITI says the MSG plans to continue engaging the Ministry of Mining and other stakeholders to better understand the implications of the policy and to promote transparency and dialogue on developments affecting mineral production, processing, and exports.
Malawi joined the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) in October 2015 and is scheduled to undergo its third independent validation assessment in 2026.
Government is yet to gazette regulations for the ban on exportation of raw minerals which has left small-scale gemstone miners stranded due to lack of processing facilities.
Malawi has only one lapidary for gemstone processing in Mponela, Dowa which is said to be inadequately equipped and located far from other districts rich in gemstones such as Mzimba, Ntcheu and Mangochi.
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The establishment of a stable and self-sustaining ecosystem, but not necessarily the one that existed before mining began. In many cases, complete restoration may be impossible, but successful remediation, reclamation, and rehabilitation can result in the timely establishment of a functional ecosystem.
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Remediation:
The cleanup of the contaminated area to safe levels by removing or isolating contaminants. At mine sites, remediation often consists of isolating contaminated material in pre-existing tailings storage facilities, capping tailings and waste rock stockpiles with clean topsoil, and collecting and treating any contaminated mine water if necessary.
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