Electricity Deal: ESCOM has signed a 50MW transmission connection agreement with Press Energy Limited to evacuate power from a planned Nkhoma solar plant into the national grid, a step aimed at easing load shedding. Energy Theft Crackdown: A Thyolo court handed four men 18-year jail terms each for vandalising an ESCOM transformer worth K15.7 million, signalling tougher action against utility sabotage. Water Tariffs: Malawi’s water boards have submitted proposals for tariff hikes to cover rising operational costs, with Central Region Water Board seeking a 106% increase. Local Industry Support: Malawi’s Trade Ministry and NPM toured industries in Lilongwe, with government urging local manufacturers despite foreign exchange shortages and power disruptions. SME Push: National Bank of Malawi hosted an SME Day Exhibition in Mzuzu, showcasing 50 SMEs across agro-processing, manufacturing, textiles, food and tech. Pharmacy Expo: The 2026 Pharmacy Expo opened in Blantyre, calling for more local medicine manufacturing to cut import delays and improve access. Prisons Food Crisis: A joint study warns Malawi’s prison food situation will worsen as mega farms underperform amid underfunding, inflation, overcrowding and low mechanisation. Fuel Prices: Malawi’s Automatic Pricing Mechanism delivered fuel cuts from June 19, lowering petrol, diesel and paraffin pump prices. Agriculture Mechanisation: Under Agcom II, 14 farmer groups received 15 tractors to boost mechanised production, including support for women farmers. Mining Investment Risk: A World Bank diagnostic warns mining investment may be hit by policy uncertainty, weak standards accreditation and unreliable power. South Africa Migration Fallout: Thousands of Malawians are being repatriated ahead of South Africa’s June 30 anti-immigration deadline, with camps in Durban and processing centres shifting to Musina.