* The only network with Voice over Long-Term Evolution (VoLTE) service available Nationwide through which customers can now enjoy crystal-clear call quality and faster connection times over LTE
* The widest 5G coverage in Malawi with 56 5G sites now live in 10 districts/areas — Lilongwe, Blantyre, Dowa, Kasungu, Mangochi, Mchinji, Mzimba, Mzuzu, Salima, and Zomba bringing ultra-fast speeds and low latency to more communities than ever before
* Airtel has increased its international connectivity from three to five resilient fiber routes, including new links through Tanzania and Mozambique via Nacala
By Duncan Mlanjira
Airtel Malawi Plc has officially launched Voice over Long-Term Evolution (VoLTE) service across all its sites and unveiled the country’s widest 5G network coverage — marking a transformative leap in Malawi’s digital evolution.
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A statement from the leading mobile telecommunications network service provider indicates that the Airtel VoLTE technology brings crystal-clear voice call quality and faster connection times over LTE.
And it enables customers to use the internet while simultaneously making voice calls on their VoLTE capable and enabled smartphones, while 5G unlocks ultra-fast speeds, low connectivity delays also known as latency, and the capacity to power smart cities, digital learning, e-health, and next-generation enterprise solutions.
At the launch that was attended by Minister of Information & Communication Technology, Shadrick Namalomba as guest of honour, Airtel Malawi Managing Director, Aashish Duttemphasised that the innovation “is the culmination of years of strategic infrastructure development”.
“We are proud to bring VoLTE and 5G services to Malawians nationwide. These technologies are not just upgrades — they are enablers of transformation.
“And they rest on a foundation we’ve been building deliberately and passionately. Together, we are building bridges of possibility, pathways of progress, and a digital Malawi that leaves no one behind,” Dutt said.
On his part, after being appraised of several innovations that Airtel Malawi has initiated over the recent times, Minister Namalomba, hailed the milestone as a catalyst for inclusive growth and national progress.
“This launch is not just about faster internet, it is about unlocking opportunities,” he said. “It is about enabling a farmer in Mangochi, a student in Mzuzu, and an entrepreneur in Lilongwe to thrive in a connected world.
“Airtel Malawi’s investment in 5G and VoLTE is a bold step towards a more inclusive digital economy,” said the Minister explained.
Some of its key highlights from the launch include Airtel being:
* The only network with VoLTE service available nationwide: through which Airtel customers across Malawi can now enjoy crystal-clear call quality and faster connection times over LTE;
* Only network with the widest 5G coverage in Malawi: with 56 5G sites now live in 10 districts/areas — Lilongwe, Blantyre, Dowa, Kasungu, Mangochi, Mchinji, Mzimba, Mzuzu, Salima, and Zomba bringing ultra-fast speeds and low latency to more communities than ever before;
* Expanded international fiber links: Airtel has increased its international connectivity from three to five resilient fiber routes, including new links through Tanzania and Mozambique via Nacala;
* Strengthened local transmission: Airtel’s proprietary fiber backbone has been reinforced with new routes from Lilongwe to Salima and Blantyre to Mangochi, alongside a strategic partnership with ESCOM for overhead fiber capacity;
* Nationwide network expansion: 90 new sites are being rolled out across the country, with four already live and 20 more expected before month-end.
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Airtel Malawi amplifies that these investments and the launch of the widest VoLTE and 5G network coverage in the country, reflect the leading mobile telecommunications network service provider’s “unwavering commitment to building a smarter, more inclusive digital future through Innovation, Infrastructure and Inclusion”.
Airtel Malawi always maintains that it is more than a network — it is a bridge to connected lives, empowered dreams, and drivers of progress and as Malawi’s leading mobile service provider, it delivers seamless 4G/LTE, 3G, and 2G wireless networks, alongside high-speed fixed broadband.
Since 2010, Airtel Malawi has been committed to innovation and inclusion, ensuring that every Malawian stays connected to opportunities, loved ones, and a brighter future; and as part of Airtel Africa’s footprint in 14 countries, its mission remains clear — to empower communities and make digital accessibility a reality.
Last Friday, when Airtel Malawi’s management, led by interim Board chairperson, Kaisi Sadala and MD Dutt at Capital Hill in Lilongwe, Minister Namalomba expressed his readiness to work with the company in advancing Malawi’s digital transformation agenda.
He also took cognizance that Airtel invests about K19 billion annually in digital infrastructure and has paid approximately K200 billion in taxes in 2025 — thus the Minister described the engagement at Capital Hill as important for aligning government and industry priorities.
The two parties discussed challenges such as forex shortages, which Namalomba acknowledged “are preventing companies from procuring equipment and maintaining networks”.
“Airtel has a lot of Malawi kwacha sitting idle because they cannot access forex,” he said. “We will engage the Ministry of Finance so that payments to their foreign vendors are prioritised.”
He also encouraged Airtel and other industry players “to think outside the box” that instead of waiting for forex, they can explore downward integration such as assembling smartphones locally.
He acknowledged that the uptake of smartphones in Malawi remains low, which affects digital access — thus the government is considering some tax policy adjustments to improve digital inclusion.
He also indicated that the engagement looked at how taxes are applied on devices and equipment, while proposing that “maybe the focus should shift to taxing the service rather than the gadgets, so that smartphones become more affordable to citizens”.
Namalomba proposed the establishment of a joint working committee between government and ICT industry players and the need for regular meetings in order to “explore solutions together and submit them to Cabinet”.
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