Malawi is taking steps towards implementing a national addressing system, a move that experts say will greatly improve urban planning, service delivery, and real estate practices.
The system, which includes postcodes, street naming, and house numbering, will enable efficient allocation of resources, enhance property valuation, and facilitate service provision.
Gilbert Chilinde, President of the Malawi Institute of Physical Planners, emphasizes the importance of a national addressing system, citing examples of countries like South Africa that have successfully implemented similar systems.
He notes that the system will help planners organize cities, identify densely populated areas, and allocate resources effectively.
“We just need to have appropriate addressing systems because service delivery in the city is easier if the location of the need is known,” emphasized Chilinde.
“For example, I can give you the challenge firefighters meet. They need an address for a location for them to rush to the site and also the police. So addresses are more necessary than we can imagine.”
Rizwan Omar, Maple Leaf Realty and Land Economy Chapter Chair for Surveyor’s Institute, highlights the need for a uniform numbering system to facilitate property identification and valuation. He explains that the current system lacks uniformity, making it difficult to identify properties.
Kondwani Kachika, Director of Postal and E-commerce Development at Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA), says that a lot of work has been done to implement the national addressing system. He mentions that standards were developed in 2018 for postcodes, street naming, and house numbering, and pilot studies were conducted in Blantyre and Lilongwe.
“We have now moved on to start implementing the national addressing system at the national level,” said Kachika. “There was an obvious gap. This was a challenge both for the private sector, businesses and individuals. The government of Malawi is now closing that particular government.”
Meanwhile, Prince Machika, Managing Partner at Real Estate Talk, says the initiative is significant because it will enhance how real estate practitioners do their work. He notes that the system will enable efficient property valuation, sales, and risk assessment.
The Government of Malawi, through MACRA, is spearheading a national initiative to develop a comprehensive physical addressing system. As mandated by the Communications Act of 2016, MACRA is tasked with allocating, managing, and regulating physical addresses and postcodes, with the primary objective of creating a robust national addressing system.
