President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera has pledged to increase the Youth Innovation Fund from K2 billion to K10 billion as part of government’s drive to empower young people and accelerate the Malawi 2063 development agenda.
Speaking on Wednesday during the opening of the 2025 National Youth Summit in Lilongwe, President Chakwera said young people are at the heart of the nation’s future and must be equipped with the necessary resources to create solutions.
“The doors to future creation are now open through this fund, because the future of Malawi rests in the hands of its youths,” he said.
The President added that government is already supporting the youth through the National Economic Empowerment Fund (NEEF), and the launch of the innovation fund marks a milestone in an effort to boost economic transformation.
He further commended the National Youth Council of Malawi (NYCOM) for championing youth issues, describing the summit as a platform for young people to propose tangible ideas for national development.
“This summit is an opportunity for the youth to discuss issues affecting them in their day-to-day lives and come up with ideas on how they can contribute to the economic growth of Malawi,” he said.
In his remarks, National Youth Council of Malawi (NYCOM) Board Chairperson Duncan Chiyani hailed government’s move, saying: “The launch of this fund demonstrates government’s desire to invest in young people, who are key to the nation’s prosperity.”
Speaking earlier NYCOM Executive Director Rex Chapota stressed that the summit targets those often left behind to ensure nobody is excluded from national development.
“Many young people fail to access opportunities simply because they don’t know where to find them.This summit is crucial as it creates a space for youth who would otherwise be overlooked, giving them a chance to connect with organisations and institutions that offer opportunities in business, skills development and wealth creation,” he said.
The three-day summit is running under the theme
“Harnessing Youth Innovation for Economic Empowerment and Sustainable Job Creation towards Malawi 2063″.
