National Bank of Malawi (NBM) plc celebrated Africa Day on Monday with the assembly of a large collaborative artwork at Henderson Street in Blantyre, bringing together painted canvases created across its four Service Centres, Henderson Street, Capital City, Mzuzu, and Mangochi, into one unified map of Africa.

The activation, which invited customers, creatives, influencers, and members of the public to contribute brushstrokes to the canvases, was designed to celebrate African identity, unity, and collective progress through participatory art.

Speaking during the assembly of the artwork, NBM plc Marketing and Corporate Affairs Manager, Akossa Mphepo-Hiwa, said the Bank intentionally chose a people-centred and interactive approach to Africa Day celebrations to reflect the spirit of togetherness that defines both Malawi and the African continent.

“Africa Day is about more than commemorating history. It is about recognising who we are as a people, celebrating our shared identity, and reflecting on the future we are building together as Africans,” said Mphepo-Hiwa.

She added that the concept behind the activation was rooted in the belief that every community and every individual contribute meaningfully to the broader African story.

“We wanted to create something that people could physically become part of. By inviting customers and communities from different regions to contribute to one artwork, we were symbolising the idea that while our experiences and backgrounds may differ, we are all connected and collectively shaping Africa’s future,” she said.

Mphepo-Hiwa further said the final assembly of the canvases into one map of Africa represented unity through diversity and reflected NBM plc’s role as “the Bank of the Nation”.

The celebration also extended internally, where employees across all Service Centres marked Africa Day by representing lesser-known African countries through traditional and culturally inspired attire, creating a vibrant expression of cultural diversity and awareness within the Bank.

The initiative featured countries such as Chad, Sierra Leone, Eritrea, Liberia, Burundi, South Sudan, Comoros, São Tomé & Príncipe, Guinea-Bissau, and Equatorial Guinea, bringing attention to parts of the continent often less highlighted in mainstream discourse.

One of the participating employees, Team Leader of Operations at Henderson Street Service Centre, Gift Sulapa, said the initiative offered a meaningful opportunity for learning, reflection, and connection.

“Participating in the Africa Day initiative was a meaningful experience for me personally because it allowed us to celebrate the richness of African identity beyond Malawi. Our unit represented Equatorial Guinea, which allowed me to learn about a country we do not often talk about. It reminded me that despite our cultural differences, we all take pride in being African,” he said.

Sulapa added that the experience sparked curiosity and engagement among staff, transforming the workplace atmosphere into one of cultural exchange and shared discovery.

“The fact that we were representing lesser-known African nations made people want to learn more about their languages, food, traditions, and way of life. It turned the workplace into a space of discovery and celebration, bringing a new energy of excitement and unity across teams,” he said.

One of the customers who participated in the activation, Mphatso Banda, described the experience as both emotional and inspiring.

 “Celebrating Africa Day in this way made me feel connected to something bigger than myself. It was beautiful seeing people from different places contribute to one vision. It reminded me that Africa’s strength is in its people and in our unity,” said Banda.

Africa Day is celebrated annually on May 25 to commemorate the founding of the Organisation of African Unity in 1963 (now the African Union). The day honours the continent’s liberation, cultural heritage, and political unity.

The cool Mzuzu night refused to sleep at the weekend as the National Bank of Malawi (NBM) plc hosted the electrifying Mo626 Northern Region Intercollege Social Weekend, a celebration that transformed the city into a sea of music, lights, fashion and non-stop youthful energy.

What began as a colourful Saturday afternoon social gathering quickly evolved into one of the most memorable student experiences the north has witnessed in recent times.

Students from Mzuzu University, Mzuzu Technical College, Malawi Institute of Journalism and University of Livingstonia arrived dressed in dramatic themed costumes inspired by ‘Peaky Blinders’, ‘The Incredibles’, and ‘Batman’, turning the ‘Tiphwasuke’ afternoon session into a moving cinematic parade.

The venue became a runway of creativity as sharply dressed ‘gangsters’ from the 1920s walked shoulder to shoulder with ‘superheroes’ and masked crusaders.

When winners for the best costume were announced, excitement erupted across the grounds as the top contestants walked away with K250,000 cash prizes while several others received NBM plc branded T-shirts and drinking bottles.

But it was after dark that the real business began.

As the first beats blasted through the giant speakers on the night of Saturday, rolling into Sunday, thousands of students abandoned thoughts of sleep and surrendered themselves to a musical marathon that stretched toward sunrise.

The dance floor soon turned into clouds of dust and joy when Trappy Beats dropped the fan favourite track ‘Makheta’.  Students jumped wildly in rhythm, raising thick dust into the air as screams and whistles echoed through the venue.

Just when signs of exhaustion started appearing among some students, Trappy switched the tune to ‘Ndikubereka’ tune, instantly reviving the crowd and pulling everyone back onto the dance floor.

In one of the night’s biggest surprises, hip-hop giant Fredokiss stunned students when he unexpectedly emerged onto the stage despite not being on the official lineup.

The moment the opening words of ‘Amafila Fredo’ hit the speakers, the grounds exploded with deafening screams and sing-alongs.

Students waved their hands in the air as Fredokiss continued with ‘Thawi Zanji’ track, while the crowd dramatically mimicked the song’s famous gestures, creating a breathtaking sea of synchronised movement under the flashing stage lights.

The energy barely had time to settle before Crispy Malawi stormed the stage, taking the audience on a nonstop musical ride beginning with the song ‘Nkhatabay’. The crowd sang every lyric word-for-word before rolling into the ‘Tili bwiNO’ tune.

As organisers attempted to move the programme forward, students refused to let him leave the stage without performing ‘Top Sheila’, chanting loudly in what became a passionate ‘By public demand yapa MZUNI’ moment.

When Kell Kay finally stepped onto the stage, screams from female students instantly pierced through the cold Northern night.

They passionately sang along to ‘Billu’, ‘Mayomayo’, and ‘Lobola’, with phone flashlights illuminating the venue like stars as they hoisted them cheerfully.

Then came Joe Ikon, who arrived with explosive energy that shook the grounds.

His performance of ‘Pang’ono’ drove the audience into a frenzy so intense that he threw himself into the crowd, only to lose a shoe and sunglasses in the chaos.

Laughing through the excitement, he quickly switched into ‘Agulu’, sending the audience into another wild wave of dancing.

After Ikon’s high-energy performance, Achina Gattah Ase took over the stage with crowd favourites including ‘MG1’, ‘Fact Up’, and ‘Amah’, keeping the momentum alive as students continued jumping and singing despite the approaching sunrise.

As darkness slowly surrendered to the first signs of morning from the direction of Nkhata Bay, Zeze Kingston became the last man standing on stage.

By then, many students had completely forgotten they even had beds waiting for them.

Zeze transformed the Mo626 Intercollege Social Weekend into what felt like a giant Sunday beach party as he performed ‘Ndilira Mumvula’, ‘Ndasangalala,’ ‘Ndathela Pano’, and the explosive ‘Kagwere Uko’,  carrying the exhausted but determined crowd into sunrise.

Speaking after the event, NBM plc Marketing and Corporate Affairs Manager, Akossa Mphepo-Hiwa, said the Bank remains committed to creating memorable experiences for young people while connecting with students beyond financial services.

“We understand that young people are not only looking for banking solutions but also meaningful experiences that bring them together, inspire creativity and celebrate talent. This social weekend is part of our commitment to supporting youth development and campus life,” she said.

One of the students from Mzuni, Yohane Banda, described the event as unforgettable.

“This was more than just a show. The energy, the surprise performances and the atmosphere were unbelievable. We danced the whole night without even realising time was moving. NBM plc gave us an experience we will never forget,” said Banda.

By sunrise, tired faces could still be seen smiling as groups of students slowly walked away from the venue, dusty, exhausted, hoarse from singing, but carrying memories powerful enough to last long after their college years are over.