Malawi Minister Urges Urgent Youth Investment to Avert Lost Generation

Speaking at the 2026 National Youth Summit in Lilongwe, Phiri declared that Malawi cannot afford to allow such a vast number of young people to remain without meaningful work. You cannot have 50 percent of our young people at home doing nothing. As leaders, we need to create opportunities for them, but young people themselves must also be prepared to knock on doors, Phiri said.

The minister urged young Malawians to seize whatever opportunities are available to them, encouraging them to take matters into their own hands by developing practical solutions to the challenges facing their own communities. However, he stressed that responsibility for tackling the crisis cannot fall on government alone, insisting that meaningful change would require a fundamental shift in mindset alongside genuine investment in developing young people's skills.