* To be hosted in partnership with the Malawi University of Science & Technology (MUST) and the Malawi Research & Education Network (MAREN)
* Which will tap into the recently secured high performance computing (HPC) facility — a supercomputer acquired through the SADC Cyber-Infrastructure initiative and currently housed at MAREN
* Hackathon’ is a portmanteau of the words ‘hack’ and ‘marathon’, where hack is used in the sense of exploratory programming, not its alternate meaning as a reference to breaching computer security
By Paul Madise, MANA
The Ministry of Higher Education has announced the 2025 Malawi Hackathon Competition, a landmark national event designed to boost scientific research, innovation and digital transformation.
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‘Hackathon’ is a portmanteau of the words ‘hack’ and ‘marathon’, where hack is used in the sense of exploratory programming, not its alternate meaning as a reference to breaching computer security.
Scheduled to run from August 31 to September 5, 2025, the hackathon will be hosted in partnership with the Malawi University of Science & Technology (MUST) and the Malawi Research & Education Network (MAREN), which will tap into the recently secured high performance computing (HPC) facility.
The HPC is a supercomputer acquired through the SADC Cyber-Infrastructure initiative and currently housed at MAREN.
The facility is expected to significantly enhance Malawi’s research capabilities and support the development of data-driven solutions to pressing national issues.
In a statement issued by Secretary for Higher Education, Levis Keliyasi Eneya, the hackathon is positioned as a strategic step toward building national capacity in advanced computing and innovation.
Levis Keliyasi Eneya
“This hackathon will bring together young minds, experts and industry players to create digital solutions for Malawi’s development challenges. It is a critical investment in our future,” said Dr. Eneya.
The announcement comes on the heels of the SADC Council of Ministers meeting on education, science, technology and innovation, held in Harare, Zimbabwe from June 17-20, 2025 — where 26 resolutions were adopted, including Decision 10, which encourages member states to implement the SADC Cyber-Infrastructure Framework and develop local high-performance computing capabilities.
During the session, Minister of Higher Education, Jessie Kabwila announced Malawi’s intention to host the HPC Hackathon, reaffirming the country’s commitment to regional collaboration and youth empowerment.
She emphasised the importance of equipping the next generation with advanced skills, aligned with labour market trends highlighted in the World Economic Forum’s 2025–2030 Future of Jobs report.
The hackathon will focus on innovation across strategic sectors such as education, health, energy, agriculture, tourism, mining, finance, industry, trade, transport and security.
Participants will be expected to develop digital and technological solutions that are practical, scalable and responsive to real-world challenges.
The Ministry maintains that the objectives of the hackathon include developing new technological tools aligned with the agriculture, tourism, mining & manufacturing (ATMM) strategy recognising and rewarding outstanding innovations; establishing incubation and accelerator programmes; fostering professional networks; and promoting the creation of patentable intellectual property.
Participants will also benefit from mentorship opportunities, skills-building sessions, and exposure to investment networks.
A Wikimedia Hackathon recently held in Prague, Poland
The hackathon marks a significant step in realising MW2063 national vision’s aspirations and positioning the nation as a digital innovation hub in the region.
Beyond the competition, the event aims to cultivate a strong culture of entrepreneurship and collaboration by bringing together students, researchers, tech developers, donors, and industry leaders.
According to Wikipedia, a hackathon — also known as a hack day, hackfest, datathon or codefest— is an event where people engage in rapid and collaborative engineering over a relatively short period of time such as 24 or 48 hours.
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They are often run using agile software development practices, such as sprint-like design wherein computer programmers and others involved in software development including graphic designers, interface dessigners, product managers, domain experts and others collaborate intensively on software engineering projects.
The goal of hackathons is to create functioning software or hardware by the end of the event and they tend to have a specific focus, which can include the programming language used, the operating system, an application, an API — or the subject and the demographic group of the programmers.
In other cases, there is no restriction on the type of software being created or the design of the new system and in addition to creating functional software or hardware, hackathons can help participants develop skills like problem solving, critical thinking, creativity, team work, communication and time management. Hackathons can also lead to formation of new companies, finding innovative solutions to real-world problems, or building a community around particular technology or cause.—Additional reporting by Maravi Express
