Malawi

Republic of Malawi

English, Chichewa Malawian Kwacha (MWK) English common law
AU, SADC, COMESA, AfCFTA, Commonwealth, WTO
Malawi is a small, landlocked economy heavily dependent on agriculture, particularly tobacco (largest export), tea, sugar, and macadamia nuts. The country has limited mineral resources but is exploring uranium (Kayelekera mine) and rare earth deposits. Lake Malawi is a major tourism asset. Challenges include extreme poverty, infrastructure deficits, currency volatility (kwacha devalued significantly in 2022-2023), and climate vulnerability. The Malawi Investment and Trade Centre (MITC) facilitates foreign investment.
Snapshot Focus Sectors Regulations & Taxes Businesses (108) People (4) Deals (1)

Snapshot

Population~24.1 MWorld Bank WDI
GDP (current USD)$15.0 BIMF WEO
GDP per Capita$640IMF WEO
GDP Growth3.30%IMF WEO
Inflation (y/y)~24.50%Central Bank / IMF
Policy Rate (Policy rate (Reserve Bank))26.00%Central Bank
Unemployment5.70%ILO / National Stats
Internet Use~18.00%World Bank WDI
Electrification~14.00%World Bank WDI
CPI Score (Rank)34.0/100 (#110)Transparency Intl
HDI (Rank)0.508 (#172)UNDP HDR

Focus Sectors

Tobacco
Tea
Sugar
Agriculture
Mining (uranium
rare earths)
Tourism
Manufacturing
Financial Services
Energy
Telecoms

Regulations & Taxes

Corporate Income Tax30% standard
VAT / Sales Tax16.5% standard

Business Directory (108)

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AD

ADMARC Malawi

Corporate

State agricultural marketing since 1971

Limbe
AI

Airtel Malawi

Corporate

Malawi's largest mobile operator

Lilongwe
AI

Airtel Money Malawi

Corporate

Leading mobile money

Lilongwe
AU

Auction Holdings Malawi

Corporate

Malawi's tobacco auctions

Lilongwe
CA

Carlsberg Malawi

Corporate

Malawi's brewery since 1968

Blantyre
CA

Castel Malawi

Corporate

Malawi's largest brewer

Blantyre
EA

Eastern Produce Malawi

Corporate

Malawi's tea heritage

Mulanje
EL

Electricity Supply Corporation Malawi

Corporate

Electricity distribution

Blantyre
FD

FDH Bank

Corporate

Indigenous commercial bank

Blantyre
FO

Football Association of Malawi

Non-profit

The Flames of Malawi

Blantyre
IL

Illovo Sugar Malawi

Corporate

Malawi's sugar giant

Limbe
KA

Kamuzu International Airport

Corporate

Main international airport

Lilongwe
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Tenders

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Comprehensive Mapping of the Youth Ecosystem in Malawi

United Nations Development Programme - Malawi

Supply and Delivery of Meters and Meter Accessories (Framework Agreement)

World Bank-financed: Accelerating Sustainable and Clean Energy Access Transformation in Malawi

Construction of public sanitation facilities in primary schools

World Bank-financed: Water and Sanitation Project - I

Finalization and Operationalization of the Malawi Electronic Trade Licensing

UNDP-MWI - MALAWI

Data Notes: Population, GDP, and GDP per capita are latest IMF WEO / World Bank estimates. Inflation is year-over-year. Trade data from UN Comtrade/OEC (2023). Tax rates from PwC/KPMG country guides. CPI from Transparency International. HDI from UNDP Human Development Report.
Narrative last updated: April 8, 2026.