Primary income receipts (BoP, current US$) in Malawi
Malawi: Primary income receipts (BoP, current US$) was 48.28 million BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Primary income receipts in Malawi, 1978–2025
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in BoP, current US$.
Analysis
The most recent figure for primary income receipts in Malawi is 48.28 million BoP, current US$, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 48 years on record.
That represents a change of up 23.5% on the previous year and up 1,308.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary income receipts in Malawi peaked at 48.28 million BoP, current US$ in 2025 and was at its lowest, 357,820 BoP, current US$, in 2009.
That places Malawi 172nd out of 199 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Primary income receipts (BoP, current US$) in Malawi, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | 1.07 million BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1979 | 1.35 million BoP, current US$ | +26.2% |
| 1980 | 2.22 million BoP, current US$ | +64.6% |
| 1981 | 1.34 million BoP, current US$ | -39.5% |
| 1982 | 1.52 million BoP, current US$ | +13.1% |
| 1983 | 1.11 million BoP, current US$ | -27.0% |
| 1984 | 2.62 million BoP, current US$ | +136.6% |
| 1985 | 4.71 million BoP, current US$ | +80.0% |
| 1986 | 3.33 million BoP, current US$ | -29.3% |
| 1987 | 3.26 million BoP, current US$ | -2.2% |
| 1988 | 9.60 million BoP, current US$ | +194.6% |
| 1989 | 10.55 million BoP, current US$ | +9.8% |
| 1990 | 9.34 million BoP, current US$ | -11.4% |
| 1991 | 7.38 million BoP, current US$ | -21.0% |
| 1992 | 6.30 million BoP, current US$ | -14.7% |
| 1993 | 2.18 million BoP, current US$ | -65.4% |
| 1994 | 4.86 million BoP, current US$ | +123.1% |
| 1995 | 3.65 million BoP, current US$ | -25.0% |
| 1996 | 9.50 million BoP, current US$ | +160.3% |
| 1997 | 12.16 million BoP, current US$ | +28.0% |
| 1998 | 11.51 million BoP, current US$ | -5.4% |
| 1999 | 25.54 million BoP, current US$ | +121.8% |
| 2000 | 33.25 million BoP, current US$ | +30.2% |
| 2001 | 12.18 million BoP, current US$ | -63.4% |
| 2002 | 6.03 million BoP, current US$ | -50.5% |
| 2003 | 2.69 million BoP, current US$ | -55.3% |
| 2004 | 1.48 million BoP, current US$ | -44.9% |
| 2005 | 582,682 BoP, current US$ | -60.7% |
| 2006 | 7.19 million BoP, current US$ | +1134.5% |
| 2007 | 1.59 million BoP, current US$ | -77.8% |
| 2008 | 1.67 million BoP, current US$ | +4.6% |
| 2009 | 357,820 BoP, current US$ | -78.5% |
| 2010 | 1.78 million BoP, current US$ | +398.0% |
| 2011 | 1.77 million BoP, current US$ | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 2.88 million BoP, current US$ | +62.7% |
| 2013 | 2.21 million BoP, current US$ | -23.3% |
| 2014 | 3.39 million BoP, current US$ | +53.6% |
| 2015 | 3.43 million BoP, current US$ | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 3.96 million BoP, current US$ | +15.4% |
| 2017 | 8.01 million BoP, current US$ | +102.3% |
| 2018 | 17.63 million BoP, current US$ | +120.2% |
| 2019 | 23.79 million BoP, current US$ | +34.9% |
| 2020 | 23.19 million BoP, current US$ | -2.5% |
| 2021 | 20.50 million BoP, current US$ | -11.6% |
| 2022 | 21.09 million BoP, current US$ | +2.9% |
| 2023 | 39.05 million BoP, current US$ | +85.2% |
| 2024 | 39.09 million BoP, current US$ | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 48.28 million BoP, current US$ | +23.5% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 48.28 million BoP, current US$ is below the median for low income countries, which is 82.04 million BoP, current US$, 59% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 48.28 million BoP, current US$ is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 152.65 million BoP, current US$, 32% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Primary income receipts (BoP, current US$) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | +1134.5% | 582,682 BoP, current US$ | 7.19 million BoP, current US$ |
| 2010 | +398.0% | 357,820 BoP, current US$ | 1.78 million BoP, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.21 million BoP, current US$ | 1.07 million BoP, current US$ | 1.35 million BoP, current US$ | 2 |
| 1980s | 4.02 million BoP, current US$ | 1.11 million BoP, current US$ | 10.55 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 9.24 million BoP, current US$ | 2.18 million BoP, current US$ | 25.54 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.70 million BoP, current US$ | 357,820 BoP, current US$ | 33.25 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.88 million BoP, current US$ | 1.77 million BoP, current US$ | 23.79 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 31.87 million BoP, current US$ | 20.50 million BoP, current US$ | 48.28 million BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 169 Congo 60.42 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 170 Saint Lucia 59.41 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 171 Micronesia (country) 54.64 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 173 Tuvalu 48.14 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 174 Guinea 46.29 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 175 Maldives 44.46 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 primary income receipts in Malawi?
- Primary income receipts in Malawi was 48.28 million BoP, current US$ in 2025, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest primary income receipts recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 48.28 million BoP, current US$ in 2025.
- What is the lowest primary income receipts recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 357,820 BoP, current US$ in 2009.
- How does Malawi rank for primary income receipts?
- Malawi ranks 172nd out of 199 countries with data for 2025.
- Is primary income receipts rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1,308.2%. 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 Primary income receipts (BoP, current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Primary income receipts refer to employee compensation paid to resident workers working abroad and investment income (receipts on direct investment, portfolio investment, other investments, and receipts on reserve assets). 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.