NRB to relocate ID system servers, online services down January 9 to 13

By Alfred Banda

Lilongwe, January 9, Mana: The National Registration Bureau (NRB) has announced that its online services will be unavailable for four days starting Friday as it relocates servers for the National Registration and Identification System (NRIS) to the new National Data Centre.

In a public statement released on Thursday and signed by Principal Secretary Patrick Machika, NRB said the relocation exercise will commence at 5:00pm on Friday, January 9, 2026, and is expected to be completed by 5:00pm on Tuesday, January 13, 2026.

The bureau said the temporary shutdown will affect key digital services, including the generation of identification numbers for new applicants, issuance of national identity cards and verification of identification details.

NRB has expressed regret for the inconvenience the interruption may cause, assuring the public that technical teams will work to restore full functionality as quickly as possible, potentially ahead of the scheduled resumption time.

NRB has advised members of the public with urgent enquiries during the downtime to contact the bureau through its Call Centre on 488 or 0111 700 700, via SMS or WhatsApp on 0987 074 071 or 0987 074 073, or by email at callcentre@nrb.gov.mw.

The bureau said the server relocation forms part of ongoing efforts to enhance the security, reliability and efficiency of Malawi’s national identification infrastructure.