Mobile phone subscriptions in Malawi
Malawi: Mobile phone subscriptions was 15.00 million in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Mobile phone subscriptions in Malawi, 1980–2024
Source: International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2024, mobile phone subscriptions in Malawi stood at 15.00 million. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is up 16.3% on the previous year and up 166.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mobile phone subscriptions in Malawi peaked at 15.00 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1980.
Malawi ranks 74th of 212 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.
Mobile phone subscriptions in Malawi, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 0 | — |
| 1981 | 0 | — |
| 1982 | 0 | — |
| 1983 | 0 | — |
| 1984 | 0 | — |
| 1985 | 0 | — |
| 1986 | 0 | — |
| 1987 | 0 | — |
| 1988 | 0 | — |
| 1989 | 0 | — |
| 1990 | 0 | — |
| 1991 | 0 | — |
| 1992 | 0 | — |
| 1993 | 0 | — |
| 1994 | 0 | — |
| 1995 | 382 | — |
| 1996 | 3,700 | +868.6% |
| 1997 | 7,000 | +89.2% |
| 1998 | 10,500 | +50.0% |
| 1999 | 22,500 | +114.3% |
| 2000 | 49,000 | +117.8% |
| 2001 | 55,730 | +13.7% |
| 2002 | 86,047 | +54.4% |
| 2003 | 135,114 | +57.0% |
| 2004 | 222,135 | +64.4% |
| 2005 | 421,163 | +89.6% |
| 2006 | 620,163 | +47.3% |
| 2007 | 1.05 million | +69.4% |
| 2008 | 1.51 million | +43.5% |
| 2009 | 2.49 million | +64.9% |
| 2010 | 3.12 million | +25.4% |
| 2011 | 3.95 million | +26.8% |
| 2012 | 4.65 million | +17.6% |
| 2013 | 5.29 million | +13.8% |
| 2014 | 5.63 million | +6.5% |
| 2015 | 6.57 million | +16.6% |
| 2016 | 7.18 million | +9.3% |
| 2017 | 7.77 million | +8.3% |
| 2018 | 7.08 million | -8.9% |
| 2019 | 8.90 million | +25.8% |
| 2020 | 10.00 million | +12.4% |
| 2021 | 11.94 million | +19.3% |
| 2022 | 12.27 million | +2.8% |
| 2023 | 12.89 million | +5.1% |
| 2024 | 15.00 million | +16.3% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 15.00 million is above the median for low income countries, which is 15.00 million, 1.0× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 15.00 million is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 13.69 million, 1.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Mobile phone subscriptions 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | +868.6% | 382 | 3,700 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1990s | 4,408 | 0 | 22,500 | 10 |
| 2000s | 663,353 | 49,000 | 2.49 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.01 million | 3.12 million | 8.90 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.42 million | 10.00 million | 15.00 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More science & technology data for Malawi
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 69.26 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 0.6926 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0.0013 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 15.00 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 136.74 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 13.38 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 16.34 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 377.51 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mobile phone subscriptions in Malawi?
- Mobile phone subscriptions in Malawi was 15.00 million in 2024, according to International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest mobile phone subscriptions recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 15.00 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest mobile phone subscriptions recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1980.
- How does Malawi rank for mobile phone subscriptions?
- Malawi ranks 74th out of 212 countries with data for 2024.
- Is mobile phone subscriptions rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 166.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Mobile phone subscriptions. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 45 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).