For Dr. Mayamiko Nkoloma, success did not begin in a boardroom or behind the desk of the Director General of the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA).

It began in a modest family, in primary school classrooms in Lilongwe and Zomba, and later in the lecture rooms of the Polytechnic, now the Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS).

Today, Dr. Nkoloma is an innovator, lecturer, technologist, telecommunications specialist and government employee. But behind the titles is a journey he believes demonstrates what determination, discipline and purpose can achieve.

Speaking in an interview monitored on Police FM today, Dr. Nkoloma reflected on his upbringing, education, entrepreneurial journey and rise to the leadership of MACRA.

“I wear many hats,” he said, describing himself as someone whose journey has moved across academia, technology, innovation and public service.

A childhood without privilege

Dr. Nkoloma says he was not privileged to grow up in a well-to-do family.

His educational journey began at Ngowi LEA Primary School at NRC in Lilongwe before his family moved to Zomba. There, he attended Sacred Hearts Primary School and later Police Primary School, where he completed his primary education and sat for his Primary School Leaving Certificate of Education examinations.

He was subsequently selected to Dedza Secondary School.

For Dr. Nkoloma, Dedza was more than just another stage in his education. It became an environment where discipline, vision and hard work helped shape his future.

He had grown up with an ambition of becoming a pilot, but his career path eventually took a different direction when he was selected to study Electrical Engineering at the Polytechnic.

He embraced the opportunity and worked his way to the top.

Dr. Nkoloma says he maintained first position in his class throughout his university education and eventually graduated with a distinction in Electrical Engineering.

But his university years were not without hardship.

His father died while he was in his second year.

Despite the loss and the financial challenges that came with having one parent, Dr. Nkoloma continued with his studies and his academic performance earned him scholarships that helped make his university life more manageable.

He attributes his resilience to proper parenting, good choices and having a clear vision.

Earning while learning

While many students concentrated solely on their studies, Dr. Nkoloma was also working to support himself.

Between his first and third years at university, he worked as a dish installer for Orbit Television during school holidays.

The job not only provided him with an income but also gave him practical experience outside the classroom.

In his fourth year, he joined the Society for Development of Networks and Programmes (SDNP), which at the time was involved in internet services, email services and personalised website addresses.

It was at SDNP that his interest in computers grew.

Dr. Nkoloma saved money from his work and bought his own computer, which he used to explore programming and other areas of technology. He says some of the activities he undertook with the computer, including burning music, also generated additional income.

The experience was gradually shaping the entrepreneur and innovator he would later become.

From lecturer to entrepreneur

After completing his studies, Dr. Nkoloma was employed by the university as a lecturer.

Rather than seeing academia as a destination, he viewed it as another opportunity to sharpen his expertise, particularly in telecommunications, while contributing to the development of other professionals.

But his exposure to the technology sector also allowed him to identify gaps that he believed could be addressed through innovation.

That led to the establishment of his technology company, iMoSYS.

Through the company, Nkoloma says he developed various software solutions and entered into collaborations with international institutions.

His entrepreneurial journey would eventually take his innovations beyond Malawi.

Turning gaps into opportunities

One of the projects that stands out in Dr. Nkoloma’s innovation journey is E-Madzi, a water management technology.

The project introduced smart cards that people could use to access water at kiosks, with the technology being deployed in villages.

Dr. Nkoloma says MACRA supported the initiative at a time when the regulator was backing innovations of this nature.

The support also enabled him to travel to South Korea and South Africa to showcase his technology.

The exposure, he says, opened doors and significantly expanded his professional network.

For Dr. Nkoloma, innovation is about more than creating technology. It is about identifying a problem and finding a practical way of addressing it.

He says young people can sometimes be underestimated, but the best response is to demonstrate what they are capable of achieving.

Faith, purpose and proving a point

Dr. Nkoloma does not separate his achievements from his faith.

He says God has been faithful throughout his journey and believes he could not have overcome some of the challenges he faced without God’s help.

But he also stresses that prayer must be accompanied by vision, purpose and determination.

His message to young people is straightforward: remain humble, trust the process and appreciate the small gains made along the way.

He believes success can be built from humble beginnings.

Dr. Nkoloma also encourages young people to focus on making a difference in their communities and country.

He says building social capital is equally important, but this must be done while respecting established protocols and demonstrating one’s capabilities.

From entrepreneur to public servant

Dr. Nkoloma’s appointment to lead MACRA presented him with another challenge: balancing public service with his entrepreneurial background.

He acknowledges that balancing his responsibilities with his involvement in iMoSYS is a significant commitment.

However, he says he accepted the MACRA opportunity out of respect for the responsibility entrusted to him and has committed himself to the role.

With academic qualifications that include a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, two Master’s degrees in Information Technology and Wireless Communication, and a PhD, Nkoloma says he wants to use his experience to help Malawi maximise the opportunities presented by digital technology.

He believes leadership should not be defined by age, but by understanding one’s responsibilities and having the relevant tools and experience to perform them.

Looking at Malawi’s digital future

At MACRA, Dr. Nkoloma says his focus includes using digital spaces to contribute to economic growth.

Among the initiatives he highlighted are efforts to advance content monetisation, including discussions with Meta aimed at creating opportunities for Malawian content creators to earn from their work.

He also says MACRA is supporting innovators through grants designed to help them develop solutions that can contribute to national development.

For a man who began his journey in ordinary classrooms, worked during university holidays and built his first computer-based opportunities from savings, the message remains consistent.

Dr. Nkoloma’s story is one he believes young Malawians can draw lessons from: beginnings may be humble, opportunities may not always arrive in the form expected, and obstacles may be unavoidable.

But, he argues, having a vision, working hard, staying humble and proving what one can do can gradually change the trajectory of a life.