Lilongwe, 15 May 2026 – The Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) on Thursday officially launched its long-awaited Management Information System (MIS), a major digital upgrade aimed at transforming service delivery, reducing business bottlenecks, and enhancing trade competitiveness in Malawi.
The launch event, held at the Bingu International Conference Centre (BICC), was presided over by Minister of Defence Dr. Feston Kaupa as Guest of Honour, representing the Minister of Industrialisation, Business, Trade and Tourism, Hon. Simon Itaye.
Speaking at the event under the theme “Digitalising to serve you better: MBS MIS Goes Live,” Dr. Kaupa described the system as a significant milestone in Malawi’s digital transformation agenda as outlined in the Malawi 2063 vision.
“For years, the business community has pointed to the Malawi Bureau of Standards as one of the institutions with pronounced bottlenecks,” said Dr. Kaupa. “The MBS MIS digitises the slow manual processes. It brings transparency to what was once opaque. It gives businesses the ability to track their applications in real time.”
The Minister highlighted that the new system will enable online applications, real-time tracking, automated updates, and significantly shorter processing times for certifications and laboratory testing. He noted that this will benefit both businesses and consumers by ensuring faster clearance of quality goods while protecting the public from substandard products.
The MBS MIS was developed with support from the World Bank-funded Southern Africa Trade and Connectivity Project (SATCP). Project Manager Hastings Ngoma revealed that the World Bank invested US$2.5 million to strengthen MBS’s ICT capabilities. The funding covered the development of the MIS by IDIAS Corporation Limited, staff training, data centre hardware procurement, and improved connectivity infrastructure.
Mr. Ngoma said the system will modernise key operations that were previously paper-based, particularly import and export certification and laboratory management.
“The new MBS Management Information System will digitize and automate key processes, significantly improving operational efficiency. This will directly translate into faster clearance of goods at our borders and greater predictability for businesses,” he stated.
He added that the system is designed to eventually integrate with the forthcoming Malawi National Single Window (MNSW), allowing traders to submit a single application for all regulatory clearances.
MBS Director General Symon O. Mandala and the Board were commended for their collaboration throughout the project. The leadership was also encouraged to develop a sustainability plan and align the system with ISO 27001 international standards for information security.
Dr. Kaupa challenged MBS management and staff to fully embrace and drive the use of the new system, while calling on the private sector to actively adopt it.
“The first businesses to master the MBS MIS will be the ones that save weeks of waiting time, reduce their operating costs, and bring products to market faster than their competitors,” the Minister said.
The launch is being viewed as a concrete step towards improving Malawi’s business environment and regional trade facilitation, particularly with neighbouring countries such as Zambia and Mozambique.
The government has pledged continued support for the full rollout, maintenance, and continuous improvement of the system.