Employment rate in Malawi
Malawi: Employment rate was 59.4% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Employment rate in Malawi, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Malawi recorded 59.4% for employment rate in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.6% on the previous year and down 6.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment rate in Malawi peaked at 77.1% in 1997 and was at its lowest, 59.4%, in 2021.
That places Malawi 79th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Employment rate in Malawi, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 76.7% | — |
| 1992 | 76.7% | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 76.8% | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 76.5% | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 76.9% | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 76.8% | -0.0% |
| 1997 | 77.1% | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 76.9% | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 76.8% | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 76.8% | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 76.6% | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 76.6% | -0.0% |
| 2003 | 76.6% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 76.8% | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 76.8% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 75.7% | -1.4% |
| 2007 | 74.7% | -1.4% |
| 2008 | 73.6% | -1.5% |
| 2009 | 72.4% | -1.6% |
| 2010 | 71.2% | -1.8% |
| 2011 | 69.8% | -1.9% |
| 2012 | 68.3% | -2.2% |
| 2013 | 66.8% | -2.2% |
| 2014 | 65.2% | -2.3% |
| 2015 | 63.6% | -2.4% |
| 2016 | 62.0% | -2.6% |
| 2017 | 60.3% | -2.7% |
| 2018 | 60.2% | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 60.1% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 64.4% | +7.0% |
| 2021 | 59.4% | -7.7% |
| 2022 | 59.9% | +0.9% |
| 2023 | 59.8% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 59.7% | -0.2% |
| 2025 | 59.4% | -0.6% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 59.4% is below the median for low income countries, which is 64.3%, 92% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 59.4% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 58.8%, 1.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 76.8% | 76.5% | 77.1% | 9 |
| 2000s | 75.7% | 72.4% | 76.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 64.7% | 60.1% | 71.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 60.4% | 59.4% | 64.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More work & labour data for Malawi
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.4293 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.4409 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.4183 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 1.02 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 4.02 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 13,360 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 28,345 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 30,321 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 28,820 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 59,141 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment rate in Malawi?
- Employment rate in Malawi was 59.4% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest employment rate recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 77.1% in 1997.
- What is the lowest employment rate recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 59.4% in 2021.
- How does Malawi rank for employment rate?
- Malawi ranks 79th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment rate rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Employment rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and older) who are employed.