Share of the population using the Internet in Malawi
Malawi: Share of the population using the Internet was 19.0% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of the population using the Internet in Malawi, 1990–2024
Source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of population.
Analysis
In 2024, share of the population using the internet in Malawi stood at 19.0%. That is the highest value across all 29 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.4% on the previous year and up 225.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population using the internet in Malawi peaked at 19.0% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1990.
Malawi ranks 193rd of 208 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of the population using the Internet in Malawi, year by year
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 0.0% | — |
| 1997 | 0.0% | — |
| 1998 | 0.0% | +287.6% |
| 1999 | 0.1% | +382.3% |
| 2000 | 0.1% | +45.2% |
| 2001 | 0.2% | +29.4% |
| 2002 | 0.2% | +31.1% |
| 2003 | 0.3% | +29.6% |
| 2004 | 0.3% | +24.6% |
| 2005 | 0.4% | +10.6% |
| 2006 | 0.4% | +10.6% |
| 2007 | 1.0% | +127.2% |
| 2008 | 0.7% | -27.5% |
| 2009 | 1.1% | +52.9% |
| 2010 | 2.3% | +111.2% |
| 2011 | 3.3% | +47.3% |
| 2012 | 4.4% | +30.6% |
| 2013 | 5.0% | +16.1% |
| 2014 | 5.8% | +15.4% |
| 2015 | 6.0% | +2.9% |
| 2016 | 6.3% | +5.0% |
| 2017 | 7.0% | +11.1% |
| 2018 | 8.8% | +25.7% |
| 2019 | 11.1% | +25.7% |
| 2020 | 13.9% | +25.7% |
| 2021 | 15.3% | +10.1% |
| 2022 | 16.8% | +10.1% |
| 2023 | 18.0% | +6.8% |
| 2024 | 19.0% | +5.4% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 19.0% is above the median for low income countries, which is 19.0%, 1.0× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 19.0% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 34.5%, 55% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of the population using the Internet 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | +382.3% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| 1998 | +287.6% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 4 |
| 2000s | 0.5% | 0.1% | 1.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.0% | 2.3% | 11.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.6% | 13.9% | 19.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 190 Samoa 21.2% compare
- 191 Mozambique 20.5% compare
- 192 Democratic Republic of Congo 19.7% compare
- 194 Papua New Guinea 18.8% compare
- 195 Madagascar 18.7% compare
- 196 Sudan 18.6% compare
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 share of the population using the internet in Malawi?
- Share of the population using the internet in Malawi was 19.0% in 2024, according to World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of the population using the internet recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 19.0% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of the population using the internet recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1990.
- How does Malawi rank for share of the population using the internet?
- Malawi ranks 193rd out of 208 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of the population using the internet rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 225.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of the population using the Internet. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population who used the Internet in the last three months.