Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Malawi
Malawi: Foreign direct investment, net outflows was 0.5% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Malawi, 1980–2024
Source: Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2024, foreign direct investment, net outflows in Malawi stood at 0.5%.
The figure is down 7.8% on the previous year and up 1,026.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows in Malawi peaked at 0.5% in 2023 and was at its lowest, -1.3%, in 2020.
Malawi ranks 76th of 191 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 outflows in Malawi, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 0.0% | — |
| 1981 | 0.0% | — |
| 1982 | 0.0% | — |
| 1983 | 0.0% | — |
| 1984 | 0.0% | — |
| 1985 | 0.0% | — |
| 1986 | 0.0% | — |
| 1987 | 0.0% | — |
| 1988 | 0.0% | — |
| 1989 | 0.0% | — |
| 1996 | 0.1% | — |
| 1997 | 0.0% | -59.4% |
| 1998 | 0.2% | +846.6% |
| 1999 | 0.0% | -98.2% |
| 2000 | -0.0% | -711.2% |
| 2001 | -0.0% | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 0.1% | -462.1% |
| 2003 | 0.0% | -67.5% |
| 2004 | 0.0% | +29.0% |
| 2005 | 0.1% | +56.7% |
| 2006 | 0.1% | +79.0% |
| 2007 | 0.2% | +108.2% |
| 2008 | 0.2% | +13.3% |
| 2009 | -0.0% | -106.2% |
| 2010 | 0.4% | -2929.2% |
| 2011 | 0.0% | -98.1% |
| 2012 | -0.1% | -738.1% |
| 2013 | -0.1% | +1.0% |
| 2014 | -0.1% | +2.9% |
| 2015 | -0.1% | +2.9% |
| 2016 | -0.1% | -3.8% |
| 2017 | -0.1% | +39.7% |
| 2018 | -1.0% | +1289.8% |
| 2019 | 0.2% | -120.3% |
| 2020 | -1.3% | -721.5% |
| 2021 | 0.0% | -100.4% |
| 2022 | 0.5% | +9091.7% |
| 2023 | 0.5% | +14.5% |
| 2024 | 0.5% | -7.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.2% | 4 |
| 2000s | 0.1% | -0.0% | 0.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | -0.1% | -1.0% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0% | -1.3% | 0.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 73 Indonesia 0.5% compare
- 74 New Caledonia 0.5% compare
- 75 Tajikistan 0.5% compare
- 77 Republic of Moldova 0.5% compare
- 78 Türkiye 0.5% compare
- 79 Paraguay 0.5% compare
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)
- External balance on goods and services (current US$), annual growth -23.48 % change on previous year (2025)
- External balance on goods and services (current LCU), annual growth -24.37 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), annual 25.49 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), per 525.79 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), per 353,070 current LCU per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (constant 2015 US$) 1.2 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (constant 2015 US$) 0.1704 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (constant 2015 US$) 114.45 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net outflows in Malawi?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Malawi was 0.5% in 2024, according to Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D.
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net outflows recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 0.5% in 2023.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.3% in 2020.
- How does Malawi rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows?
- Malawi ranks 76th out of 191 countries with data for 2024.
- Is foreign direct investment, net outflows rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1,026.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D, published as part of Foreign direct investment, net outflows (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Foreign direct investment refers to direct investment equity flows in an economy. It is the sum of equity capital, reinvestment of earnings, and other capital. 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 ordinary shares of voting stock is the criterion for determining the existence of a direct investment relationship. This series shows net outflows of investment from the reporting economy to the rest of the world, and is divided by GDP.