Malawi Telecommunications Limited (MTL) was registered as a limited company in 2000 when government decided to split the parastatal Malawi Posts and Telecommunications Corporation (MPTC) into two entities, MTL and Malawi Posts Corporation (MPC) to allow the two to concentrate on their core businesses separately.

In 2005 government through the Privatisation Commission finalised the privatisation of MTL. This was done in order to develop telecommunications further in the country to allow more Malawians access to communication services. The Privatisation of the entity would also ensure that the company accesses a wider range of financial and technical resources. With its headquarters at Lamya House along Masauko Chipembere Highway in Blantyre, MTL is now owned by Telecomm Holdings Limited (THL) which holds 80% and Malawi Government which retains 20%. THL is a consortium comprising Press Corporation PLC as the majority shareholder, Old Mutual, NICO Holdings and Investments Alliance Limited.

MTL holds a 44.44% stake in TNM, a leading mobile company and 36% in Malawi Net, the pioneer ISP in Malawi.

The company employs approximately 926 employees through its four major departments of Commercial, Technical, Finance and Administration and Human Resources.