Energy intensity in Malawi
Malawi: Energy intensity was 0.3051 kilowatt-hours per dollar in 2022. ▼ Falling
Latest (2022)
0.3051 kilowatt-hours per dollar
Change on year
up 2.0%
World rank
164th
of 166 countries
All-time high
0.4991 kilowatt-hours per dollar
in 1994
All-time low
0.2896 kilowatt-hours per dollar
in 2018
Years of data
43
1980–2022
Energy intensity in Malawi, 1980–2022
Source: Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in kilowatt-hours per dollar.
Analysis
In 2022, energy intensity in Malawi stood at 0.3051 kilowatt-hours per dollar.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.0% on the previous year and down 8.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, energy intensity in Malawi peaked at 0.4991 kilowatt-hours per dollar in 1994 and was at its lowest, 0.2896 kilowatt-hours per dollar, in 2018.
That places Malawi 164th out of 166 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 43 years of available data.
Energy intensity in Malawi, year by year
| Year | kilowatt-hours per dollar | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 0.438 kilowatt-hours per dollar | — |
| 1981 | 0.4902 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +11.9% |
| 1982 | 0.4434 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -9.5% |
| 1983 | 0.3732 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -15.8% |
| 1984 | 0.3488 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -6.5% |
| 1985 | 0.3694 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +5.9% |
| 1986 | 0.3521 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -4.7% |
| 1987 | 0.3522 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 0.3451 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -2.0% |
| 1989 | 0.3855 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +11.7% |
| 1990 | 0.3993 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +3.6% |
| 1991 | 0.4325 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +8.3% |
| 1992 | 0.4737 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +9.5% |
| 1993 | 0.4195 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -11.4% |
| 1994 | 0.4991 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +19.0% |
| 1995 | 0.4604 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -7.7% |
| 1996 | 0.4239 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -7.9% |
| 1997 | 0.4006 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -5.5% |
| 1998 | 0.4073 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +1.7% |
| 1999 | 0.3916 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -3.9% |
| 2000 | 0.4318 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +10.3% |
| 2001 | 0.4309 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 0.4102 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -4.8% |
| 2003 | 0.414 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 0.415 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 0.3768 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -9.2% |
| 2006 | 0.3766 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -0.0% |
| 2007 | 0.3406 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -9.6% |
| 2008 | 0.3674 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +7.9% |
| 2009 | 0.3113 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -15.3% |
| 2010 | 0.3565 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +14.5% |
| 2011 | 0.341 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -4.3% |
| 2012 | 0.3336 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -2.2% |
| 2013 | 0.3237 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -3.0% |
| 2014 | 0.313 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -3.3% |
| 2015 | 0.2909 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -7.1% |
| 2016 | 0.311 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +6.9% |
| 2017 | 0.3214 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +3.3% |
| 2018 | 0.2896 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -9.9% |
| 2019 | 0.3211 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +10.9% |
| 2020 | 0.3131 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -2.5% |
| 2021 | 0.299 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -4.5% |
| 2022 | 0.3051 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +2.0% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 0.3051 kilowatt-hours per dollar is below the median for low income countries, which is 0.477 kilowatt-hours per dollar, 64% of the median. (21 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 0.3051 kilowatt-hours per dollar is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.6483 kilowatt-hours per dollar, 47% of the median. (44 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.3898 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 0.3451 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 0.4902 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.4308 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 0.3916 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 0.4991 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.3875 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 0.3113 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 0.4318 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.3202 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 0.2896 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 0.3565 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.3058 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 0.299 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 0.3131 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 3 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More energy & mining data for Malawi
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate 7.18 % change on previous year (2024)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary energy use, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fuel imports 16.5% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is energy intensity in Malawi?
- Energy intensity in Malawi was 0.3051 kilowatt-hours per dollar in 2022, according to Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest energy intensity recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 0.4991 kilowatt-hours per dollar in 1994.
- What is the lowest energy intensity recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2896 kilowatt-hours per dollar in 2018.
- How does Malawi rank for energy intensity?
- Malawi ranks 164th out of 166 countries with data for 2022.
- Is energy intensity rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Energy intensity. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Measured in kilowatt-hours of total energy supply per international-$ of GDP.