Access to electricity in Malawi
Malawi: Access to electricity was 15.6% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Access to electricity in Malawi, 1992–2024
Source: SDG 7.1.1 Electrification Dataset, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of population.
Analysis
Malawi recorded 15.6% for access to electricity in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 31.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, access to electricity in Malawi peaked at 18.0% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 1.6%, in 1993.
Malawi ranks 213th of 215 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Access to electricity in Malawi, year by year
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 3.2% | — |
| 1993 | 1.6% | -51.5% |
| 1994 | 2.0% | +29.6% |
| 1995 | 2.5% | +22.7% |
| 1996 | 2.9% | +18.4% |
| 1997 | 3.4% | +15.4% |
| 1998 | 3.8% | +13.3% |
| 1999 | 4.3% | +11.6% |
| 2000 | 4.8% | +12.4% |
| 2001 | 5.2% | +8.3% |
| 2002 | 5.6% | +7.7% |
| 2003 | 6.2% | +10.7% |
| 2004 | 6.9% | +11.3% |
| 2005 | 6.6% | -4.3% |
| 2006 | 3.7% | -43.9% |
| 2007 | 7.4% | +100.0% |
| 2008 | 7.8% | +5.4% |
| 2009 | 8.3% | +6.4% |
| 2010 | 8.7% | +4.8% |
| 2011 | 7.6% | -12.6% |
| 2012 | 7.4% | -2.6% |
| 2013 | 9.0% | +21.6% |
| 2014 | 11.9% | +32.2% |
| 2015 | 10.8% | -9.2% |
| 2016 | 11.0% | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 12.7% | +15.5% |
| 2018 | 18.0% | +41.7% |
| 2019 | 11.2% | -37.8% |
| 2020 | 11.5% | +2.7% |
| 2021 | 14.2% | +23.5% |
| 2022 | 14.0% | -1.4% |
| 2023 | 15.6% | +11.4% |
| 2024 | 15.6% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3.0% | 1.6% | 4.3% | 8 |
| 2000s | 6.2% | 3.7% | 8.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.8% | 7.4% | 18.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 14.2% | 11.5% | 15.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 210 Niger 21.3% compare
- 211 Burundi 20.1% compare
- 212 Central African Republic 18.2% compare
- 214 Chad 13.4% compare
- 215 South Sudan 5.4% compare
More energy & mining data for Malawi
- Fuel imports 16.5% (2024)
- Ores and metals imports 1.0% (2024)
- Ores and metals exports 0.8% (2024)
- Gas production 0 terawatt-hours (2024)
- Fossil fuel production per person, by fuel 0 kilowatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel 0 terawatt-hours (2024)
- Gas production per person 0 kilowatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Gas production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is access to electricity in Malawi?
- Access to electricity in Malawi was 15.6% in 2024, according to SDG 7.1.1 Electrification Dataset, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest access to electricity recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 18.0% in 2018.
- What is the lowest access to electricity recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.6% in 1993.
- How does Malawi rank for access to electricity?
- Malawi ranks 213th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is access to electricity rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 31.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from SDG 7.1.1 Electrification Dataset, World Bank (WB), published as part of Access to electricity (% of population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Access to electricity is the percentage of population with access to electricity. Electrification data are collected from industry, national surveys and international sources.