Suleman Chitera 
By Suleman Chitera
The Mining and Minerals Regulatory Authority (MMRA) says revised mineral title fees will strengthen its capacity to regulate Malawi’s mining sector, improve licensing services and enhance monitoring of exploration and mining activities.
The revised fees, introduced under the Mines and Minerals (Mineral Title Fees) Regulations, 2026, replace the previous fee structure established in 2021. The review aims to align charges with the current administrative, operational and regulatory demands of the mining industry.
In a response to the Malawi News Agency (MANA), MMRA spokesperson Sella Singini said the previous fee structure had not been reviewed since 2021, making an adjustment necessary to reflect the sector’s changing regulatory requirements.
Singini said the additional revenue would support improvements in licence application processing, mineral title registration and records management, as well as regular field inspections, compliance monitoring and enforcement of the Mines and Minerals Act, 2023.
One of the notable changes is an increase in the small-scale mining licence application processing fee from K30,000, as indicated on a previously published application form, to K350,000.
However, Singini emphasised that the revised charges were not intended to discourage Malawians, particularly artisanal and small-scale miners, from participating in the mining industry.
“The revision of mineral title fees is not intended to discourage participation in the mining sector or create unnecessary barriers to formalisation,” she said.
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She added that the authority would continue conducting public awareness campaigns to educate prospective miners on licensing requirements, applicable fees and procedures.
Meanwhile, former Minister of Mining and Energy Grain Wyson Malunga has welcomed the review, saying the revised fees could encourage meaningful investment by discouraging speculative acquisition of mineral rights.
Malunga said the differentiated charges for local individuals and institutions, as well as foreign companies, were important in promoting local participation in the mining sector.
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He further argued that increased annual ground rent for exploration licences could discourage investors from holding mineral rights without undertaking meaningful exploration activities.
“Escalated fees will discourage laissez-faire attitude in exploration programmes,” he said.
Malunga also described the adjustments as justifiable, considering the depreciation of the kwacha, arguing that higher charges could help discourage applications made for speculative purposes rather than genuine investment in Malawi’s mining industry.
