Unemployment rate in Malawi
Malawi: Unemployment rate was 5.1% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
5.1%
Change on year
up 0.4%
World rank
98th
of 186 countries
All-time high
5.7%
in 2020
All-time low
4.7%
in 1997
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Unemployment rate in Malawi, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Malawi recorded 5.1% for unemployment rate in 2025.
The figure is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 2.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Malawi peaked at 5.7% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 4.7%, in 1997.
Malawi ranks 98th of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5.0% | 4.7% | 5.4% | 9 |
| 2000s | 5.0% | 4.7% | 5.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.9% | 4.8% | 5.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.3% | 5.0% | 5.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More work & labour data for Malawi
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 62.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 67.3% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 86.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 58.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 63.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 67.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 59.0% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate in Malawi?
- Unemployment rate in Malawi was 5.1% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rate recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 5.7% in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.7% in 1997.
- How does Malawi rank for unemployment rate?
- Malawi ranks 98th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- 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 Unemployment rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon.