Export Guidelines

Certain goods are subject to regulatory controls under Malawi law. Export Regulations govern the licensing, restriction, or control of specific products, including strategic materials, agricultural commodities, and other regulated items.

Exporters must verify whether their goods fall within restricted categories and obtain the necessary approvals or licences before export. Compliance with these regulations is mandatory and enforced under the applicable legal framework.

Goods Requiring an Export Licence

An Export Licence is required for the export of specified controlled goods. The licence is issued by the Ministry of Industrialisation, Business, Trade and Tourism upon payment of the prescribed fee and is valid for a period of twelve (12) months from the date of issuance.

To apply for the export licence, visit the Malawi Trade Portal.

List of Restricted Goods

An Export Licence is required for the following categories of goods:

1. Implements of war (excluding arms and ammunition), atomic energy materials of strategic value, and items of primary strategic significance used in the production of arms and ammunition or other implements of war.
2. Strategic minerals and metals, including beryllium, cobalt, tantalum, uranium, lithium, columbite, niobium (columbium), thorium, germanium, titanium, nickel and nickel alloys, including materials containing such metals.
3. Petroleum products.
4. Unmanufactured gemstones, including corundum, garnet, quartz, tourmaline, turquoise, beryl, zircon, jade, olivine, feldspar, topaz, opal, chrysoberyl, spinel, and lazurite.
5. Bell-bottom trousers.
6. Scrap metal.
7. Maize and maize products, including:
   1. Dried maize (on or off the cob)
   2. Crushed maize
   3. Maize grits
   4. Maize offals
   5. Maize cones
   6. Hominy chop (excluding green maize on the cob)
8. Unmanufactured tobacco.
9. Tea.
10. Rice and rice products, including rice meal, bran, and residuals.
11. Raw hardwood timber.

Legal Basis