Malawi Hosts Regional Broadband Mapping Training to Strengthen Digital Infrastructure Planning

The Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA)  is hosting a regional training programme in Lilongwe aimed at strengthening capacity in broadband mapping and geospatial data management across Africa.

The five-day Africa-BB-Maps Intermediate GIS and Data Management for Broadband Mapping Training has been organised by the International Telecommunication Union  with support from the European Union, and is being delivered by Esri South Africa College.

The programme brings together practitioners from Malawi, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Zambia to strengthen their ability to build, manage and maintain enterprise Geographic Information System (GIS) environments for national broadband mapping.

Building on foundational GIS skills, participants are receiving hands-on training in enterprise GIS architecture, multiuser geodatabases, data governance and access control, advanced editing and data integrity, database management and geospatial service publishing.

The training uses real-world broadband datasets covering fibre networks, mobile coverage and other digital infrastructure, giving participants practical experience in applying geospatial tools to connectivity planning.

Opening the training, MACRA Acting Director of Telecoms Patrick Musiyapo said broadband mapping enables countries to gain a clearer understanding of their connectivity landscape by identifying areas with strong coverage and exposing remaining gaps.

Musiyapo emphasised that the initiative extends beyond technical capacity building, noting that broadband mapping can provide the evidence needed to guide policy, direct investment and expand connectivity to underserved communities.

The training forms part of ongoing regional efforts to strengthen data-driven approaches to digital infrastructure planning and support more effective broadband development across participating countries.