Jobs Generated by the Energy Sector Support Project in Malawi

Rural electrification projects in Malawi generated substantial direct and indirect employment opportunities, particularly in construction and skilled roles. The projects also had an impact on the gender disparity in employment and highlighted the need to strengthen domestic capacity for materials and equipment production. Moreover, improved access to electricity and enhanced reliability had positively affected job creation and enterprise development in the region. This case study seeks to shed light on the employment outcomes associated with the investments made in Malawi’s electricity distribution network, including rehabilitation, upgrade, and expansion of priority segments of the existing distribution system under the World Bank–financed Energy Sector Support Project.

A team from Mathematica, consisting of Faraz Usmani, Duncan Chaplin, Patricia Costa, Sarah Leser, and Sara Bryk, collected background material and conducted upstream research for this case study.