Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) in Malawi
Malawi: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) was 5.1% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
5.1%
Change on year
up 0.4%
World rank
99th
of 187 countries
All-time high
5.7%
in 2020
All-time low
4.7%
in 1997
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Malawi, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Malawi recorded 5.1% for unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in 2025.
That represents a change of up 0.4% on the previous year and up 2.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Malawi peaked at 5.7% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 4.7%, in 1997.
Malawi ranks 99th of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) in Malawi, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 4.9% | — |
| 1992 | 5.1% | +3.3% |
| 1993 | 5.0% | -1.5% |
| 1994 | 5.4% | +7.6% |
| 1995 | 4.9% | -8.8% |
| 1996 | 4.9% | +0.9% |
| 1997 | 4.7% | -5.1% |
| 1998 | 4.9% | +4.9% |
| 1999 | 5.0% | +1.6% |
| 2000 | 5.0% | +0.9% |
| 2001 | 5.2% | +3.5% |
| 2002 | 5.2% | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 5.2% | -1.6% |
| 2004 | 5.0% | -3.9% |
| 2005 | 4.9% | -0.6% |
| 2006 | 5.0% | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 4.9% | -1.6% |
| 2008 | 4.8% | -1.6% |
| 2009 | 4.7% | -1.3% |
| 2010 | 4.8% | +1.0% |
| 2011 | 4.8% | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 4.9% | +2.5% |
| 2013 | 5.0% | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 5.0% | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 5.0% | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 5.0% | +1.2% |
| 2017 | 5.0% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 5.0% | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 5.0% | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 5.7% | +15.2% |
| 2021 | 5.7% | -1.2% |
| 2022 | 5.0% | -11.2% |
| 2023 | 5.0% | -0.2% |
| 2024 | 5.1% | +0.8% |
| 2025 | 5.1% | +0.4% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 5.1% is above the median for low income countries, which is 4.4%, 1.1× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 5.1% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.4%, 93% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5.0% | 4.7% | 5.4% | 9 |
| 2000s | 5.0% | 4.7% | 5.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.9% | 4.8% | 5.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.3% | 5.0% | 5.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More education data for Malawi
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 14,528 (2019)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 1.25 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.16 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.75 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.7 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.2193 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 4.75 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Malawi?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Malawi was 5.1% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 5.7% in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.7% in 1997.
- How does Malawi rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Malawi ranks 99th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.