First Lady praises NBM for backing Scorchers

The Malawi Scorchers’ historic run at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations has earned praise from First Lady Gertrude Mutharika, who has commended National Bank of Malawi (NBM) plc for supporting the team beyond its financial sponsorship.

Mutharika said NBM’s commitment helped create an environment that enabled the team to make history by reaching the WAFCON final.

She was speaking on Thursday at a luncheon she hosted for the Scorchers at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe, where she also recognised NBM plc and other stakeholders for their support during the team’s impressive campaign in Morocco.

“Congratulations National Bank of Malawi, I say thank you. You didn’t only sponsor and sit back. National Bank even sponsored some of our people,” Mutharika said.

She said Malawians were extremely proud of the team for defeating some of Africa’s established footballing nations, saying the achievement had lifted Malawi’s profile on the international stage.

NBM plc board chairperson Grant Kabango thanked the First Lady for hosting the team and applauded the players, technical bench and support staff for their sacrifice and determination.

Kabango also announced that NBM plc has rewarded the Scorchers with K500 million in recognition of their outstanding performance at the tournament.

He described the players as national heroes whose historic campaign had inspired millions of young girls across the country to dream bigger.

“At National Bank of Malawi plc, we invested in women’s football early. Not just as a sponsorship, but as a statement. A statement about gender equity, about youth empowerment, and about national development,” Kabango said.

NBM has been a key sponsor of the Scorchers since last year, when it unveiled a K1.58 billion sports sponsorship programme.

The bank supported the team in Malawi and Morocco through match-viewing events, supporter engagement activities and a delegation of customers and partners who travelled to Rabat to cheer the team.

The Scorchers made history in Morocco by becoming the first debutant nation to reach the WAFCON final under the current format, while also securing qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.