Malawians will now have an opportunity to learn how to access and use digital services at customer service centres, as efforts to bridge the country’s digital skills gap move beyond classrooms.
Airtel Malawi Managing Director Aashish Dutt announced the initiative on Thursday, November 12, 2026, during the opening of three new customer experience shops in Blantyre, saying customers can visit any of the company’s 50 outlets nationwide for digital guidance.
“Any customer who wants to get an understanding of how digital services can be accessed and how they can become more digitally aware can walk into any of our 50 stores and get that education as well,” said Dutt.
The new shops are located at Bakili Muluzi International Airport, Mount Pleasant and Soche East, bringing Airtel’s total number of customer service outlets across Malawi to 50.
Dutt said although Airtel’s network covers about 87 percent of Malawi’s population, the high cost of smartphones and limited digital awareness continue to prevent many people from fully benefiting from digital connectivity.
He said the company was engaging government to reduce taxes on imported smartphones, which currently stand at about 26 to 27 percent, arguing that lower taxes could make devices more affordable and encourage wider use of digital services.
“We have appealed to government to see if the taxes can be brought down on the devices,” he said, adding that Airtel was also investing in digital education through its corporate social responsibility programmes.
Dutt said the company had connected more than 36 schools, established IT libraries in 10 schools and provided scholarships to 25 students, covering tuition and other expenses throughout their studies.
He added that Airtel had also zero-rated 12 educational websites, allowing students to access learning materials without paying data charges.
Meanwhile, Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences Vice Chancellor Professor Nancy Chitera said the new shops would also contribute to economic development by reducing the time and money people spend travelling to access services.
Chitera said Blantyre previously had only one major Airtel shop serving the entire city, forcing customers from distant communities to use several minibuses and endure long queues. Some customers eventually abandoned their visits after repeatedly failing to get assistance.
“The opening of these shops is not just for the sake of opening. It is also contributing to national economic development because businesses can now take place within communities without needing one to travel a long distance,” said Chitera.
She added that improved access to services would help businesses operate more conveniently, reduce transport expenses and allow individuals to improve their livelihoods within their communities.
Chitera further said the partnership between Airtel and higher learning institutions could extend beyond customer service to provide students in engineering, information technology, cybersecurity and other related fields with practical industry experience.
Airtel Malawi Managing Director Aashish Dutt announced the initiative on Thursday, November 12, 2026, during the opening of three new customer experience shops in Blantyre, saying customers can visit any of the company’s 50 outlets nationwide for digital guidance.
“Any customer who wants to get an understanding of how digital services can be accessed and how they can become more digitally aware can walk into any of our 50 stores and get that education as well,” said Dutt.
The new shops are located at Bakili Muluzi International Airport, Mount Pleasant and Soche East, bringing Airtel’s total number of customer service outlets across Malawi to 50.
Dutt said although Airtel’s network covers about 87 percent of Malawi’s population, the high cost of smartphones and limited digital awareness continue to prevent many people from fully benefiting from digital connectivity.
He said the company was engaging government to reduce taxes on imported smartphones, which currently stand at about 26 to 27 percent, arguing that lower taxes could make devices more affordable and encourage wider use of digital services.
“We have appealed to government to see if the taxes can be brought down on the devices,” he said, adding that Airtel was also investing in digital education through its corporate social responsibility programmes.
Dutt said the company had connected more than 36 schools, established IT libraries in 10 schools and provided scholarships to 25 students, covering tuition and other expenses throughout their studies.
He added that Airtel had also zero-rated 12 educational websites, allowing students to access learning materials without paying data charges.
Meanwhile, Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences Vice Chancellor Professor Nancy Chitera said the new shops would also contribute to economic development by reducing the time and money people spend travelling to access services.
Chitera said Blantyre previously had only one major Airtel shop serving the entire city, forcing customers from distant communities to use several minibuses and endure long queues. Some customers eventually abandoned their visits after repeatedly failing to get assistance.
“The opening of these shops is not just for the sake of opening. It is also contributing to national economic development because businesses can now take place within communities without needing one to travel a long distance,” said Chitera.
She added that improved access to services would help businesses operate more conveniently, reduce transport expenses and allow individuals to improve their livelihoods within their communities.
Chitera further said the partnership between Airtel and higher learning institutions could extend beyond customer service to provide students in engineering, information technology, cybersecurity and other related fields with practical industry experience.
