In February of last year, Malawi announced what was described as a 21-day halt on gemstone export permits while it reviewed its valuation framework. At the time, the language was confusing — first reading like a blanket mineral export ban, then clarified as a temporary pause tied to concerns over undervaluation.
Twenty-one days. (Read last year’s report here.)
Now, one year later, Malawi has announced a new suspension of mining licenses and a ban on exports of raw, unprocessed minerals as part of a broader regulatory overhaul.
Gary Roskin
Roskin Gem News Report
The measures include:
▻Suspension of all new mining licenses
▻A nationwide audit of the licensing registry
▻A halt to raw mineral exports pending legal review
▻Plans to strengthen the state mining company
▻Movement toward establishing a Sovereign Wealth Fund
The announcement comes under the administration of Peter Mutharika, who returned to office in late 2025.
What remains unclear is whether last year’s gemstone export pause was ever formally lifted — or whether this latest action represents an expansion of restrictions that was never fully resolved.
For the gemstone trade, the practical questions are straightforward:
▻Are export permits currently being processed?
▻Are shipments moving?
▻Are buyers active on the ground?
Added Value — In Theory and in Practice
The government says the move is aimed at strengthening oversight and promoting “value addition” before export.
In the gemstone sector, “value addition” has a specific meaning: cutting and polishing inside the country before export. That can increase returns — but only if there are cutting facilities, trained cutters, grading standards, financing, and buyers for finished goods.
Without that foundation, restricting rough exports does not automatically create value. It creates a bottleneck.
ASM: Caught in the Middle
Waiting 21 days is disruptive. Waiting a year is something else entirely.
As you know, artisanal mining operates on daily cash flow. When buying slows or export permits stall, the impact is immediate at the mine site. Miners do not operate on policy timelines. They operate on what a buyer will pay today.
If rough cannot move out of the country — and if there is not yet sufficient domestic cutting capacity to absorb it — material backs up. Prices soften. Trading shifts. And smuggling happens to stay alive.
Last year, the pause was described as temporary. One year later, export restrictions remain part of the conversation.
The question is not whether value addition is a worthy goal. The question is whether the government is ready to build the capacity required to support it.
Whether this latest move becomes a short administrative reset or a longer structural shift remains to be seen.
For now, there are more questions than answers.
