Malawi · ID documents
Passport issuance system upgrade and e-passport
Terminated
Malawi signed a USD 60.8 million contract with Techno Brain in March 2019 to upgrade passport issuance and introduce an e-passport 2. In December 2021 the Attorney General cancelled it under the public procurement law, citing irregularities 1,2. The government brought Techno Brain back on a temporary basis in 2023 2. After a hack halted passport printing in early 2024, the government hired local firm E-Tech Systems, as reported by The Nation 2. Techno Brain's Nandan Gopalakrishna said the company had responded quickly to an urgent request for help in January 2024 2.
Key terms
- Buyer
- Government of Malawi (Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services)
- Vendor
- Techno Brain
- Vendor based in
- Not confirmed
- Signed
- March 2019
- Duration
- Not published
- Value
- USD 60.8 million (about K103.3 billion), as reported by The Nation (15 April 2024)
- Funding
- Not published
- Procurement route
- Not published
- System ownership
- Not published
- Data terms
- Not published
Audits, courts, parliament and regulators
- December 2021: Attorney General Thabo Chakaka-Nyirenda cancelled the contract under section 46(c) of the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Act 2017, as reported by Business Daily. He said it should not have been signed, citing several irregularities, as reported by The Nation 1,2.
- 2023: The government brought Techno Brain back on a temporary basis as it sought a replacement 2.
- February 2024: The Immigration Department suspended passport issuance after a system failure. President Lazarus Chakwera told Parliament the system had been hacked and ransom demanded 2.
- 15 April 2024: The Ministry of Justice said the government had hired local firm E-Tech Systems to deal with the problems at the department 2.
Sources
- Business Daily: Techno Brain loses Sh7bn Malawi e-passport contract (22 December 2021)
- The Nation (Malawi): Govt contracts new passport supplier (15 April 2024)
Fields marked "Not published" or "Not confirmed" could not be established from an official or reliable source. If you hold a document that fills a gap or corrects an entry, write to [email protected]. Last checked 19 October 2026.