Malawi: Customs and other import duties (current LCU)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, Malawi's customs and other import duties (current LCU) rose 23.5% on 2023 (from 220.47 billion to 272.36 billion).

Across the 14 yearly changes before that (2010 to 2023), the average change was +24.2% and a typical year strayed about 24.9% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.0 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 82.8% in 2013 and the biggest yearly fall was 4.1% in 2020. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2015 to 2024 the straight-line trend is upward, about 22.38 billion a year. A straight line explains 79% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2024, Malawi had the 16th highest value of the 65 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Malawi in the 2024 ranking

• Chile — 12th of 65: 671.1 billion
• Angola — 13th of 65: 405.23 billion
• Burkina Faso — 14th of 65: 343.67 billion
• China — 16th of 65: 250.94 billion
• Türkiye — 17th of 65: 234.96 billion
• Rwanda — 18th of 65: 194.48 billion

What this measures

Taxes and duties on imports are taxes on goods and services that become payable at the moment when goods enter the economic territory or when services are delivered by non-resident producers to residents. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This series is expressed in local currency units.

Limitations: For most countries central government finance data have been consolidated into one account, but for others only budgetary central government accounts are available. Countries reporting budgetary data are noted in the country metadata. Because budgetary accounts may not include all central government units (such as social security funds), they usually provide an incomplete picture. In federal states the central government accounts provide an incomplete view of total public finance. Data on government revenue and expense are collected by the IMF through questionnaires to member countries and by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

All 16 values

Customs and other import duties (current LCU) in nearby economies

• Angola — 405.23 billion (2024)
• Botswana — 24.21 billion (2023)
• Burkina Faso — 343.67 billion (2024)
• Burundi — 134.03 billion (2021)
• Cabo Verde — 6.59 billion (2020)
• Cameroon — 359.57 billion (2021)
• Congo, Dem. Rep. — 1.45 trillion (2022)
• Congo, Rep. — 100.46 billion (2021)
• Côte d'Ivoire — 756.49 billion (2023)
• Equatorial Guinea

More public sector data for Malawi

• Military expenditure (current USD) — 162.82 million (2025)
• Military expenditure (current LCU) — 282.4 billion (2025)
• Military expenditure (% of GDP) — 1.15% (2025)
• Armed forces personnel, total — 15,000 (2020)
• Armed forces personnel (% of total labor force) — 0.2% (2020)
• Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) — 2 million (2024)
• Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure) — 3.84% (2025)
• CPIA business regulatory environment rating (1=low to 6=high) — 3 (2025)
• CPIA debt policy rating (1=low to 6=high) — 2 (2025)
• CPIA economic management cluster average (1=low to 6=high)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
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• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Malawi's customs and other import duties (current LCU)?

272.36 billion in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 2009?

It is up 1,950% from 13.29 billion in 2009 (22.31% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 272.36 billion in 2024 and the lowest 13.29 billion in 2009.

How does Malawi rank?

16th highest of 65 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in customs and other import duties (current LCU) unusual for Malawi?

In 2024, Malawi's customs and other import duties (current LCU) rose 23.5% on 2023 (from 220.47 billion to 272.36 billion). Across the 14 yearly changes before that (2010 to 2023), the average change was +24.2% and a typical year strayed about 24.9% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.0 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator GC.TAX.IMPT.CN, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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