The Future Capital

How Accessibility Can Transform Lilongwe

Lilongwe stands at a crossroads between what it is and what it could be. For years we have celebrated its greenery, its quiet stretches, and its reputation as Malawi’s garden city. Yet the time has come to ask a deeper question: what if this beauty was harnessed not just for admiration, but for deliberate economic transformation? What if Lilongwe was reimagined as a walkable, connected, and accessible city that serves its people, attracts investment, and powers growth?

Imagine Kumbali Castle not hidden away on the outskirts but commanding space in Area 34, bordered by the Lingadzi River and overlooking a busy road. Its veranda could host a coffee shop where business leaders sip espressos while watching the rhythm of cars pass by. In walkable distance, Cocos could offer its modern flair to the city’s youth, while on the other side, the Sparc Systems building would rise tall and transparent, no fences blocking its face, only open access to the roads that lead to the New City Centre.

Now add the Reserve Bank Pension Fund complex, a new FDH headquarters, and the Pension Fund Hotel standing alongside one another, not as isolated monuments but as integrated parts of the city’s bloodstream. None walled off, all connected, shaping a skyline that blends ambition with accessibility. Pedestrians could move freely between them, businesses would thrive on proximity, and the city itself would hum with the dynamism of shared space. This is not just architectural imagination—it is transport economics at work.

As economists have long argued, location dictates activity. Firms and institutions clustered in accessible hubs reduce costs, attract customers, and generate spillover benefits for surrounding enterprises. Transport economics teaches us that accessibility is the key driver of growth: when roads, buildings, and people are linked seamlessly, productivity rises and opportunities multiply. Agglomeration effects emerge—where one business prospers, others benefit, creating a network of mutual reinforcement. Lilongwe has the opportunity to deliberately plan for such a future.

Consider leisure. An amusement park placed on the outskirts imposes an opportunity cost of distance. By positioning it next to the BICC, Gateway Mall, or Lilongwe Shopping Mall, it would feed directly into existing flows of movement. A family attending a conference could shop, dine, and enjoy entertainment all within walking distance. In economics we call this demand complementarity—where one trip stimulates another, keeping value circulating within the city. It is not just about fun, it is about designing an economy that maximises efficiency and broadens participation.

The benefits of a walkable Lilongwe are not abstract. They include reduced congestion, healthier citizens, lower transport costs, and higher land values. They create vibrancy in the streets, inclusivity for residents, and an inviting atmosphere for tourists. The true capital of a city is not only measured in the height of its buildings but in the accessibility of its opportunities.

As urbanist Edward Glaeser argues in his book Triumph of the City, cities are engines of innovation, prosperity, and well-being—“the healthiest, greenest, culturally and economically richest places to live. And as Jane Jacobs, one of the most influential thinkers in urban development, reminds us: “Good transportation and communication are not only among the most difficult things to achieve; they are also basic necessities.

This simple truth grounds the vision for Lilongwe: infrastructure must serve people—not just vehicles—and design must enable spontaneous urban life.

For investors, this vision means a city where infrastructure supports commerce and where urban planning aligns with global standards of competitiveness. For policymakers, it presents a blueprint for reducing urban inefficiencies and unlocking growth. For CEOs and business leaders, it is an opportunity to shape the environment in which their firms will thrive.

The question before us is not whether Lilongwe has the potential—it does. The question is whether we are deliberate enough to shape it. If we dare to imagine a city where transport economics informs design, where accessibility drives development, and where beauty is matched by productivity, then Lilongwe can become more than Malawi’s garden city. It can become a model African capital, one where walking is joy, where investment is seamless, and where the skyline tells a story of confidence and vision.

It is time to build that future.