* He has consistently delivered innovative, strategic and impactful solutions across critical sectors
* Including manufacturing, trade, energy, investment and agriculture—NPC Board chairperson Mkandawire
By Duncan Mlanjira
The Board of the National Planning Commission (NPC) has appointed Fredrick Changaya as its Director General, effective today, August 1, 2025 — having recognised him as a “proven entrepreneur, business strategist and policy architect”.
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In a public statement, Board chairperson, Prof. Richard Mkandawire indicates that Changaya “brings to NPC over 20 years of transformative leadership spanning Malawi’s private and public sectors” — and that his “a proven entrepreneur, business strategist, and policy architect, who has consistently delivered innovative, strategic and impactful solutions across critical sectors, including manufacturing, trade, energy, investment and agriculture”.
“He founded AGM Limited, a 50,000 tonne per-annum agro-processing factory and was chief executive officer (CEO) at Candlex Limited — a long-standing industry dominant player where he led the launch of several leading soap brands on the local market.
“In the realm of public policy, he has been a key voice and actor — championing monetary policy reforms as a former member of the Reserve Bank of Malawi’s Monetary Policy Committee.
Changaya being unveiled today
“He has also served in the boards of several public institutions, including the Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi, the Malawi Gaming & Lotteries Authority, the Public Private Partnership Commission, LUANAR Holdings, and the Malawi Investment & Trade Centre.
“Academically, Changaya holds an MBA and a BBA from the University of Malawi and an MSc in Marketing from Salford University in the United Kingdom.
“He is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and is currently pursuing a PhD in Agricultural Economics at the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources and a Doctor of Business Administration in Banking & Financial Institutions degree at Swiss Institute of Business Management (SIBMA).
“NPC welcomes Mr. Changaya and looks forward to his visionary leadership as we continue to champion long-term national development planning and implementation coordination for Malawi through the MW2063 and the MW2063 First 10-Year Implementation Plan, the MIP-1,” says Mkandawire in the statement.
Changaya was successful following what NPC described “a highly competitive and rigorous recruitment process from which he emerged successful”.
