Foreign ownership of fuel and gas retail outlets is prohited in excess of two retail outlets. Additional outlets must be franchised out to Malawians. Wholesalers of liquid fuels and gas, regardless if foreign- or domestically-owned, may own and run a maximum of two retail outlets as well; any additional retail outlet must be franchised out to Malawians.
"3. Act not to apply to exploration of oil and gas
The activities and installations related to the prospecting, exploration, discovery and development of oil and gas within Malawi as well as the storage, transportation and transformation of such oil and gas within the limits of the development area shall be governed by the Petroleum Exploration Act.
[...[
4. Interpretation
In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—[...]
“chain of supply” means all operations, activities, installation equipment and other facilities, directly or indirectly, related to liquid fuels and gas supply operations;[...]
“franchising” means an agreement between a licensee and a retail dealer under which the retail dealer is permitted to retail liquid fuels and gas under a designated business name;[...]
“liquid fuels and gas supply undertaking operation” means any operation or installation and activities for or in connexion with the import, landing, loading, transformation, transport, storage, distribution, wholesale, retail or franchising of liquid fuels and gas products which are owned and operated by a licensee;[...]
“retailing” means selling of liquid fuels and gas on retail terms by a holder of a retail licence;
[...]
Part II – General principles
5. Objectives
The objectives of this Act are to—[...]
(g) promote empowerment of Malawians to participate in the liquid fuels and gas supply industry through operation and ownership of retail outlets.
6. Activities in chain of supply open to any person
(1) Any and all activities in the chain of supply, save those mentioned in paragraph (g) of section 5, shall be open to any person whether private or public, domestic or foreign subject to the provisions of this Act and any other applicable written law.
(2) A holder of a wholesale licence shall own and run a maximum of two retail outlets and shall franchise out the rest of his retail outlets to Malawians.[...]" (Liquid Fuels and Gas (Production and Supply) Act (Chapter 50:03), 2007, as amended)


Liquid Fuels and Gas (Production and Supply) Act (Chapter 50:03), 2007, as amended
[<a href="https://malawilii.org/akn/mw/act/2004/23/eng@2014-12-31">Act</a>]