Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in Malawi
Malawi: Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP was 2.3% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in Malawi, 1980–2024
Source: IMF International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments; World Bank International Debt Statistics and GDP estimates; and OECD GDP estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Malawi recorded 2.3% for foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in 2024.
The figure is up 42.4% on the previous year and down 66.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Malawi peaked at 7.0% in 2011 and was at its lowest, -0.9%, in 1991.
Malawi ranks 89th of 198 countries on this measure, 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 inflows as share of GDP in Malawi, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 0.5% | — |
| 1981 | 0.1% | -88.2% |
| 1982 | 0.3% | +463.4% |
| 1983 | 0.1% | -58.9% |
| 1984 | 1.6% | +982.1% |
| 1985 | 0.0% | -98.0% |
| 1986 | -0.2% | -634.9% |
| 1987 | 0.0% | -103.1% |
| 1988 | 0.9% | +16412.7% |
| 1989 | 0.4% | -53.8% |
| 1990 | 0.9% | +112.1% |
| 1991 | -0.9% | -205.1% |
| 1992 | -0.3% | -69.7% |
| 1993 | 0.3% | -197.9% |
| 1994 | 1.5% | +447.4% |
| 1995 | 0.3% | -80.9% |
| 1996 | 0.5% | +71.5% |
| 1997 | 0.4% | -19.4% |
| 1998 | 0.5% | +23.8% |
| 1999 | 2.3% | +376.6% |
| 2000 | 1.0% | -54.8% |
| 2001 | 0.8% | -24.6% |
| 2002 | 0.1% | -85.0% |
| 2003 | 1.4% | +1116.6% |
| 2004 | 2.1% | +51.1% |
| 2005 | 2.6% | +23.2% |
| 2006 | 0.6% | -76.7% |
| 2007 | 1.9% | +215.5% |
| 2008 | 2.5% | +30.9% |
| 2009 | 0.5% | -78.4% |
| 2010 | 1.0% | +75.7% |
| 2011 | 7.0% | +628.5% |
| 2012 | -0.1% | -101.5% |
| 2013 | 5.6% | -5648.6% |
| 2014 | 6.8% | +20.9% |
| 2015 | 3.1% | -54.1% |
| 2016 | 1.5% | -53.1% |
| 2017 | 1.0% | -31.1% |
| 2018 | 0.8% | -22.7% |
| 2019 | 0.5% | -35.9% |
| 2020 | 2.1% | +328.8% |
| 2021 | 1.0% | -51.2% |
| 2022 | 1.6% | +52.8% |
| 2023 | 1.6% | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 2.3% | +42.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.4% | -0.2% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.5% | -0.9% | 2.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.4% | 0.1% | 2.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.7% | -0.1% | 7.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.7% | 1.0% | 2.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More economy & growth data for Malawi
- 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)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant 2015 US$) 2 % change on previous year (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant 2015 US$) 0.1481 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant 2015 US$) 99.42 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant LCU), annual 2 % change on previous year (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant LCU), per 101.32 constant LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant LCU), per 68,036 constant LCU per person (2025)
- Services, value added (current US$), annual growth rate 45.12 % change on previous year (2025)
- Services, value added (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.4866 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Malawi?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in Malawi was 2.3% in 2024, according to IMF International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments; World Bank International Debt Statistics and GDP estimates; and OECD GDP estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 7.0% in 2011.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.9% in 1991.
- How does Malawi rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp?
- Malawi ranks 89th out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 66.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from IMF International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments; World Bank International Debt Statistics and GDP estimates; and OECD GDP estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Net inflows of foreign direct investment from foreign investors to the reporting economy.