The Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Authority (PPDA) has reaffirmed its commitment to transforming public procurement in Malawi through digitalization while ensuring that women, youth, and local small businesses are not left behind in the process.
Speaking at a press briefing in Lilongwe, PPDA Director General Dr. Edington Chilapondwa highlighted the progress made under the Malawi National Electronic Procurement System (MANePS), a platform designed to increase transparency, efficiency, and accountability in government procurement.
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“We are here today to break down the progress on digitalization. Already, 32 government departments are procuring through MANePS, and our goal is to have all public procurement conducted on this digital platform,” said Dr. Chilapondwa.
MANePS, which is backed by support from the World Bank and European Union, is built on four pillars namely, speed, efficiency, transparency, and accountability.
The system, according to Chilapondwa, will allow suppliers to register and access procurement opportunities online, eliminating long, standing barriers caused by manual processes and lack of data accessibility.
Beyond efficiency, the digital procurement reform aims to create an inclusive economy by empowering micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), especially those owned by women and youth.
To ensure fair participation, the system establishes contract value limits that match the capacity of businesses at various levels.
“This way, we don’t overwhelm small businesses; we help them grow. The aim is not for MSMEs to remain small, but to graduate into higher levels of enterprise,” emphasized Chilapondwa.
Also speaking at the press briefing, PPDA Director of Regulatory, Review Monitoring and Compliance Jonathan Kantayeni said that in the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets (Participation by Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises) Order, 2020, certain contracts and goods, including furniture, milk and poultry products, cleaning, and fumigation services, are reserved exclusively for these groups.
“In terms of the goods that we have at this stage, there are so many. Milk and milk products, some poultry products. We have furniture, we have Mchesi, people there are making furniture. We also have cleaning services, fumigation… These are things that were set aside for MSMEs, which includes the youth and women,” he said.
This aligns with Section 2 of the Order, which defines “marginalized groups” as women, youth, and persons with disabilities.
Additionally, the Order sets clear participation thresholds for MSMEs: micro, enterprises can bid for contracts of up to K5 million, small enterprises for up to K50 million, and medium enterprises up to K500 million.
A standout feature of MANePS is its real, time monitoring capability, which allows PPDA to actively prevent procurement malpractice.
Among others, if a large corporation attempts to disguise itself as a small enterprise to compete unfairly, PPDA now has the legal authority and digital tools to immediately halt such procurement processes.
Recognizing that categorizing disadvantaged groups, such as distinguishing between women and youth, was previously difficult under the manual system, PPDA is finalizing updated procurement guidelines and a new handbook which will provide clear definitions and application criteria to improve compliance and streamline procurement for all stakeholders, which is in line with the Order’s provisions for preferences and reservations.
This digital transformation aligns with Malawi’s Vision 2063, which aspires to build an inclusive, resilient, and technologically driven economy. As Chilapondwa noted, “MANEPS is for Malawians. It’s about opening doors, not just to contracts, but to opportunity, growth, and a better future for all.
At the moment, PPDA has launched two state-of-the-art digital hubs which will serve both as a training centre for the PPDA staff and government entities, as well as a support centre for MANePS users.
