Malawians who rely on mobile money and banking services could remain vulnerable to digital fraud unless authorities improve their ability to identify and prosecute those behind online scams, Justice Minister Charles Mhango has warned.
Mhango said cyber fraud often involved several channels, including phone numbers used to contact victims, mobile money services used to receive payments and bank accounts through which stolen money could be transferred.
He said stronger laws and better coordination among institutions were needed to trace transactions and identify the individuals responsible for the crimes.
“Most of the fraudsters will use phone numbers to get to their victim and lure them to be defrauded,” Mhango said during a cybersecurity conference organised by the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA).
He said telecommunications companies, mobile money providers, banks and MACRA needed to work together to help authorities trace the people behind fraudulent transactions.
Mhango said the ultimate objective should be to identify the individuals receiving stolen money rather than stopping at the phone numbers or bank accounts used in the transactions.
He added that the government was consulting the Ministry of Information on strengthening cybercrime legislation to address emerging threats, including online fraud, cyberbullying and the use of artificial intelligence.
The minister said a bill could be presented to Parliament during the February–April 2027 budget session, depending on the progress of the consultations.
His remarks come as Information Minister Shadric Namalomba revealed that hackers had taken control of his TNM WhatsApp account for a week, demonstrating that digital account compromises can affect even senior public officials.
Namalomba warned that compromised accounts could expose users to financial losses and identity theft, urging authorities to do more to protect people from cyber threats.
MACRA Board Chairperson Chancy Gondwe said the country needed to invest in cybersecurity infrastructure to protect digital information and systems that support national development.
“Our organisations, our digital information, digital infrastructures can be affected anytime because of cyberattacks,” Gondwe said.
For ordinary citizens, the risks can extend from losing access to a communication account to being tricked into transferring money to fraudsters. Recovering the money may also be difficult when the people responsible cannot be identified.
Mhango said effective cooperation among investigators, financial institutions, telecommunications companies and mobile money providers would be essential to tracing fraud and bringing perpetrators to justice.
The proposed legal reforms could provide an opportunity to address gaps in the existing framework. However, their impact will depend on how effectively authorities investigate reported cases, trace transactions and hold offenders accountable.
As Malawi expands its use of digital financial services, the central question is whether citizens will have stronger practical protection when their accounts are compromised or their money is stolen.
