Commercial service imports (current US$) in Malawi
Malawi: Commercial service imports (current US$) was 1.01 billion current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
1.01 billion current US$
Change on year
up 13.2%
World rank
152nd
of 200 countries
All-time high
1.01 billion current US$
in 2025
All-time low
117.51 million current US$
in 1977
Years of data
49
1977–2025
Commercial service imports in Malawi, 1977–2025
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in current US$.
Analysis
Malawi recorded 1.01 billion current US$ for commercial service imports in 2025. That is the highest value across all 49 years on record.
That represents a change of up 13.2% on the previous year and up 278.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, commercial service imports in Malawi peaked at 1.01 billion current US$ in 2025 and was at its lowest, 117.51 million current US$, in 1977.
Malawi ranks 152nd of 200 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Commercial service imports (current US$) in Malawi, year by year
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 117.51 million current US$ | — |
| 1978 | 119.35 million current US$ | +1.6% |
| 1979 | 133.19 million current US$ | +11.6% |
| 1980 | 178.55 million current US$ | +34.1% |
| 1981 | 146.77 million current US$ | -17.8% |
| 1982 | 122.97 million current US$ | -16.2% |
| 1983 | 127.77 million current US$ | +3.9% |
| 1984 | 141.65 million current US$ | +10.9% |
| 1985 | 143.27 million current US$ | +1.1% |
| 1986 | 130.52 million current US$ | -8.9% |
| 1987 | 143.61 million current US$ | +10.0% |
| 1988 | 197.87 million current US$ | +37.8% |
| 1989 | 231.27 million current US$ | +16.9% |
| 1990 | 268.43 million current US$ | +16.1% |
| 1991 | 356.47 million current US$ | +32.8% |
| 1992 | 338.83 million current US$ | -4.9% |
| 1993 | 260.06 million current US$ | -23.2% |
| 1994 | 147.72 million current US$ | -43.2% |
| 1995 | 151.42 million current US$ | +2.5% |
| 1996 | 185.75 million current US$ | +22.7% |
| 1997 | 219.20 million current US$ | +18.0% |
| 1998 | 161.55 million current US$ | -26.3% |
| 1999 | 184.72 million current US$ | +14.3% |
| 2000 | 167.12 million current US$ | -9.5% |
| 2001 | 171.41 million current US$ | +2.6% |
| 2002 | 221.89 million current US$ | +29.5% |
| 2003 | 135.52 million current US$ | -38.9% |
| 2004 | 135.15 million current US$ | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 140.35 million current US$ | +3.8% |
| 2006 | 141.91 million current US$ | +1.1% |
| 2007 | 140.61 million current US$ | -0.9% |
| 2008 | 162.36 million current US$ | +15.5% |
| 2009 | 198.43 million current US$ | +22.2% |
| 2010 | 204.62 million current US$ | +3.1% |
| 2011 | 224.70 million current US$ | +9.8% |
| 2012 | 202.64 million current US$ | -9.8% |
| 2013 | 220.47 million current US$ | +8.8% |
| 2014 | 245.56 million current US$ | +11.4% |
| 2015 | 266.33 million current US$ | +8.5% |
| 2016 | 226.07 million current US$ | -15.1% |
| 2017 | 339.53 million current US$ | +50.2% |
| 2018 | 370.85 million current US$ | +9.2% |
| 2019 | 442.28 million current US$ | +19.3% |
| 2020 | 570.83 million current US$ | +29.1% |
| 2021 | 576.18 million current US$ | +0.9% |
| 2022 | 934.13 million current US$ | +62.1% |
| 2023 | 999.14 million current US$ | +7.0% |
| 2024 | 890.02 million current US$ | -10.9% |
| 2025 | 1.01 billion current US$ | +13.2% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 1.01 billion current US$ is below the median for low income countries, which is 1.02 billion current US$, 99% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 1.01 billion current US$ is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.41 billion current US$, 72% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 123.35 million current US$ | 117.51 million current US$ | 133.19 million current US$ | 3 |
| 1980s | 156.42 million current US$ | 122.97 million current US$ | 231.27 million current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 227.41 million current US$ | 147.72 million current US$ | 356.47 million current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 161.47 million current US$ | 135.15 million current US$ | 221.89 million current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 274.31 million current US$ | 202.64 million current US$ | 442.28 million current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 829.67 million current US$ | 570.83 million current US$ | 1.01 billion current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 149 Seychelles 1.07 billion current US$ compare
- 150 Afghanistan 1.04 billion current US$ compare
- 151 Niger 1.02 billion current US$ compare
- 153 Andorra 995.77 million current US$ compare
- 154 Mauritania 989.30 million current US$ compare
- 155 Fiji 979.74 million current US$ compare
More private sector data for Malawi
- Merchandise trade 30.9% (2025)
- Food imports 11.2% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 64.9% (2025)
- Merchandise imports 3.66 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 93.3% (2025)
- Manufactures exports 5.1% (2025)
- Merchandise exports 947.00 million current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service exports 483.71 million current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 42.63 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.0635 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is commercial service imports in Malawi?
- Commercial service imports in Malawi was 1.01 billion current US$ in 2025, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest commercial service imports recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 1.01 billion current US$ in 2025.
- What is the lowest commercial service imports recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 117.51 million current US$ in 1977.
- How does Malawi rank for commercial service imports?
- Malawi ranks 152nd out of 200 countries with data for 2025.
- Is commercial service imports rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 278.4%. 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 Commercial service imports (current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 49 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Commercial service imports are total service imports minus imports of government services not included elsewhere. Imports of services are services provided by non-residents to residents. 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.