By Suleman Chitera

The Minority Shareholders Association of Listed Companies (Misalico) has launched a renewed campaign to encourage more Malawians to invest in companies listed on the Malawi Stock Exchange (MSE), stressing that buying shares is affordable and accessible to everyone.

Misalico Executive Secretary Frank Harawa said the association is working to dispel the long-held belief that stock market investments are reserved for wealthy individuals or people living in major cities.

Harawa said the organisation will intensify financial literacy and investment awareness programmes across the country to help more Malawians understand the benefits of owning shares in listed companies.NBS Bank Family Banking Service Attracts 320 Families as Bank Unveils K240 Million Golf Partnership

“We want people to realise that share ownership is for every Malawian. It is not only for the rich or those living in urban areas,” Harawa said.

As part of the outreach campaign, Misalico will next month visit Likoma and Mzuzu, where it plans to engage religious leaders, women and young people on how the stock market operates and how they can participate.

According to Harawa, one of the biggest misconceptions about investing is that it requires large sums of money.

“People need to know that buying shares in a company can start with as little as K17,” he said.

The association believes increasing public participation in the stock market will promote a stronger savings and investment culture, broaden local ownership of companies and contribute to Malawi’s long-term economic development.

The Malawi Stock Exchange, established in 1994, provides a platform where investors can buy and sell shares in listed companies while enabling businesses to raise capital for expansion and growth. The first company was listed on the exchange in 1996.

Financial experts have consistently emphasised that wider participation in the stock market can help mobilise domestic investment, improve financial inclusion and create opportunities for ordinary citizens to build wealth over time through dividends and capital appreciation.

Misalico’s awareness campaign is expected to reach more communities across the country as the association seeks to make stock market investment better understood and more accessible to all Malawians.