Foreign direct investment, net (BoP, current US$) in Malawi
Malawi: Foreign direct investment, net (BoP, current US$) was -485.56 million BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net in Malawi, 1977–2025
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in BoP, current US$.
Analysis
Malawi recorded -485.56 million BoP, current US$ for foreign direct investment, net in 2025.
That represents a change of down 73.3% on the previous year and down 65.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net in Malawi peaked at 4.34 million BoP, current US$ in 2012 and was at its lowest, -811.81 million BoP, current US$, in 2011.
That places Malawi 104th out of 197 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net (BoP, current US$) in Malawi, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | -5.54 million BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1978 | -9.13 million BoP, current US$ | +64.8% |
| 1979 | 1.22 million BoP, current US$ | -113.4% |
| 1980 | -9.48 million BoP, current US$ | -874.5% |
| 1981 | -1.12 million BoP, current US$ | -88.2% |
| 1983 | -2.55 million BoP, current US$ | +128.6% |
| 1985 | -523,531 BoP, current US$ | -79.5% |
| 1987 | -90,549 BoP, current US$ | -82.7% |
| 1994 | -24.99 million BoP, current US$ | +27501.1% |
| 1995 | -5.64 million BoP, current US$ | -77.4% |
| 1996 | -15.80 million BoP, current US$ | +179.9% |
| 1997 | -14.87 million BoP, current US$ | -5.9% |
| 1998 | -12.10 million BoP, current US$ | -18.6% |
| 1999 | -58.53 million BoP, current US$ | +383.5% |
| 2000 | -26.00 million BoP, current US$ | -55.6% |
| 2001 | -19.30 million BoP, current US$ | -25.8% |
| 2002 | -5.90 million BoP, current US$ | -69.4% |
| 2003 | -64.57 million BoP, current US$ | +994.5% |
| 2004 | -105.98 million BoP, current US$ | +64.1% |
| 2005 | -136.68 million BoP, current US$ | +29.0% |
| 2006 | -29.65 million BoP, current US$ | -78.3% |
| 2007 | -110.74 million BoP, current US$ | +273.5% |
| 2008 | -176.88 million BoP, current US$ | +59.7% |
| 2009 | -50.46 million BoP, current US$ | -71.5% |
| 2010 | -54.71 million BoP, current US$ | +8.4% |
| 2011 | -811.81 million BoP, current US$ | +1383.8% |
| 2012 | 4.34 million BoP, current US$ | -100.5% |
| 2013 | -455.56 million BoP, current US$ | -10588.0% |
| 2014 | -602.82 million BoP, current US$ | +32.3% |
| 2015 | -292.85 million BoP, current US$ | -51.4% |
| 2016 | -119.92 million BoP, current US$ | -59.1% |
| 2017 | -96.86 million BoP, current US$ | -19.2% |
| 2018 | -179.25 million BoP, current US$ | +85.1% |
| 2019 | -31.97 million BoP, current US$ | -82.2% |
| 2020 | -406.09 million BoP, current US$ | +1170.1% |
| 2021 | -128.86 million BoP, current US$ | -68.3% |
| 2022 | -140.01 million BoP, current US$ | +8.6% |
| 2023 | -141.64 million BoP, current US$ | +1.2% |
| 2024 | -280.22 million BoP, current US$ | +97.8% |
| 2025 | -485.56 million BoP, current US$ | +73.3% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's -485.56 million BoP, current US$ is below the median for low income countries, which is -273.72 million BoP, current US$, 1.8× the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Malawi's -485.56 million BoP, current US$ is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is -396.63 million BoP, current US$, 1.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net (BoP, current US$) in Malawi changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | -27501.1% | -90,549 BoP, current US$ | -24.99 million BoP, current US$ |
| 2013 | -10588.0% | 4.34 million BoP, current US$ | -455.56 million BoP, current US$ |
| 2011 | -1383.8% | -54.71 million BoP, current US$ | -811.81 million BoP, current US$ |
| 2020 | -1170.1% | -31.97 million BoP, current US$ | -406.09 million BoP, current US$ |
| 2003 | -994.5% | -5.90 million BoP, current US$ | -64.57 million BoP, current US$ |
| 1980 | -874.5% | 1.22 million BoP, current US$ | -9.48 million BoP, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | -4.48 million BoP, current US$ | -9.13 million BoP, current US$ | 1.22 million BoP, current US$ | 3 |
| 1980s | -2.75 million BoP, current US$ | -9.48 million BoP, current US$ | -90,549 BoP, current US$ | 5 |
| 1990s | -21.99 million BoP, current US$ | -58.53 million BoP, current US$ | -5.64 million BoP, current US$ | 6 |
| 2000s | -72.62 million BoP, current US$ | -176.88 million BoP, current US$ | -5.90 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | -264.14 million BoP, current US$ | -811.81 million BoP, current US$ | 4.34 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | -263.73 million BoP, current US$ | -485.56 million BoP, current US$ | -128.86 million BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 101 Benin -429.95 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 102 El Salvador -445.44 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 103 Zimbabwe -465.43 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 105 Uruguay -534.61 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 106 Rwanda -559.78 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 107 Lebanon -582.76 million BoP, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for Malawi
- Real gdp growth, annual growth rate -14.03 % change on previous year (2024)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.07 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 4.6 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate -12.14 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 0.0151 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate -16.34 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 0.0111 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.01 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net in Malawi?
- Foreign direct investment, net in Malawi was -485.56 million BoP, current US$ in 2025, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 4.34 million BoP, current US$ in 2012.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was -811.81 million BoP, current US$ in 2011.
- How does Malawi rank for foreign direct investment, net?
- Malawi ranks 104th out of 197 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 65.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Foreign direct investment, net (BoP, current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Foreign direct investment is a category of cross-border investment associated with a resident in one economy having control or a significant degree of influence on the management of an enterprise that is resident in another economy. Ownership of 10 percent or more of the voting power is evidence of a direct investment relationship. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This indicator is expressed in United States dollars.