Brave Mhonie, the newly elected President of the Renewable Energy Industries Association of Malawi (REIAMA), has pledged to enhance the business environment for new market entrants during his tenure.

Mhonie emphasized the critical need to address several barriers that impede the progress of renewable energy initiatives in Malawi.

“You know, Malawi is facing a number of energy challenges, and these challenges have specific barriers contributing to the situation," Mhonie said.

“My focus area would be looking into those barriers that prevent universal energy access in Malawi, whether at the policy level, access to finance, technical support for small-scale entrepreneurs, or increasing the inclusion of women and youth. Most importantly, we need a centralized point for accessing services in the sector.”

 Mhonie noted that, despite the availability of various grants, many small-scale entrepreneurs in the country struggle financially because these grants are limited.

He emphasized the necessity for more substantial financing solutions.

“Access to finance is a major issue. There are grants accessible to small-scale entrepreneurs, but they have limits in terms of business expansion. These entrepreneurs need to transition to commercial financing.”

“Currently, the landscape to enable that transition is not favorable due to the high risk associated with the sector, especially for those operating in the off-grid space,” he explained.

 Mhonie aims to facilitate access to affordable and flexible financing for SMEs through stronger linkages with the banking sector, incubation programs, and other capacity-building initiatives.

“I would like to support small-scale entrepreneurs by enabling them to access financing that suits their business needs and helps them grow. This involves engaging with banks to improve existing financial products and working with business incubators to make these entrepreneurs bankable. It’s about giving the right skills to staff members in these small-scale businesses to help them contribute to their enterprises' growth,” Mhonie stated.

Mhonie also acknowledged the efforts made by the government and development partners in supporting local entrepreneurs but stressed that more work is needed. “There have been some good efforts from both the government and development partners in supporting local entrepreneurs, which are yielding positive results. However, there are still areas that need improvement,” he said.

Mhonie's vision for REIAMA is to create sustainable value for its members and the nation.

“I want REIAMA to be a place where anyone in Malawi facing a problem in the renewable energy sector can come and get the assistance they need. We aim to create an enabling environment from financing, marketing, and technical capacity building perspectives,” Mhonie concluded.