Military expenditure (current LCU) in Malawi
Malawi: Military expenditure (current LCU) was 282.40 billion current LCU in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
282.40 billion current LCU
Change on year
up 39.4%
World rank
51st
of 168 countries
All-time high
282.40 billion current LCU
in 2025
All-time low
1.26 million current LCU
in 1965
Years of data
61
1965–2025
Military expenditure in Malawi, 1965–2025
Source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
In 2025, military expenditure in Malawi stood at 282.40 billion current LCU. That is the highest value across all 61 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 39.4% on the previous year and up 1,290.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military expenditure in Malawi peaked at 282.40 billion current LCU in 2025 and was at its lowest, 1.26 million current LCU, in 1965.
Malawi ranks 51st of 168 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.
Military expenditure (current LCU) in Malawi, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 1.26 million current LCU | — |
| 1966 | 1.32 million current LCU | +4.3% |
| 1967 | 1.54 million current LCU | +17.0% |
| 1968 | 1.57 million current LCU | +1.5% |
| 1969 | 1.63 million current LCU | +4.1% |
| 1970 | 1.71 million current LCU | +4.9% |
| 1971 | 1.95 million current LCU | +13.7% |
| 1972 | 2.16 million current LCU | +11.0% |
| 1973 | 3.86 million current LCU | +78.5% |
| 1974 | 4.46 million current LCU | +15.6% |
| 1975 | 8.09 million current LCU | +81.2% |
| 1976 | 8.40 million current LCU | +3.9% |
| 1977 | 12.30 million current LCU | +46.4% |
| 1978 | 21.57 million current LCU | +75.4% |
| 1979 | 35.15 million current LCU | +62.9% |
| 1980 | 43.15 million current LCU | +22.8% |
| 1981 | 34.48 million current LCU | -20.1% |
| 1982 | 28.48 million current LCU | -17.4% |
| 1983 | 26.10 million current LCU | -8.3% |
| 1984 | 26.63 million current LCU | +2.0% |
| 1985 | 34.06 million current LCU | +27.9% |
| 1986 | 46.05 million current LCU | +35.2% |
| 1987 | 47.80 million current LCU | +3.8% |
| 1988 | 51.66 million current LCU | +8.1% |
| 1989 | 62.87 million current LCU | +21.7% |
| 1990 | 66.34 million current LCU | +5.5% |
| 1991 | 66.45 million current LCU | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 90.94 million current LCU | +36.9% |
| 1993 | 113.28 million current LCU | +24.6% |
| 1994 | 149.05 million current LCU | +31.6% |
| 1995 | 168.85 million current LCU | +13.3% |
| 1996 | 308.50 million current LCU | +82.7% |
| 1997 | 434.25 million current LCU | +40.8% |
| 1998 | 449.75 million current LCU | +3.6% |
| 1999 | 635.00 million current LCU | +41.2% |
| 2000 | 698.30 million current LCU | +10.0% |
| 2001 | 915.60 million current LCU | +31.1% |
| 2002 | 1.14 billion current LCU | +24.1% |
| 2003 | 1.28 billion current LCU | +12.5% |
| 2004 | 2.39 billion current LCU | +87.1% |
| 2005 | 4.53 billion current LCU | +89.2% |
| 2006 | 4.23 billion current LCU | -6.6% |
| 2007 | 4.70 billion current LCU | +11.2% |
| 2008 | 6.25 billion current LCU | +32.9% |
| 2009 | 8.30 billion current LCU | +32.8% |
| 2010 | 7.52 billion current LCU | -9.4% |
| 2011 | 8.26 billion current LCU | +9.9% |
| 2012 | 11.50 billion current LCU | +39.1% |
| 2013 | 22.93 billion current LCU | +99.4% |
| 2014 | 21.01 billion current LCU | -8.4% |
| 2015 | 20.30 billion current LCU | -3.4% |
| 2016 | 25.10 billion current LCU | +23.6% |
| 2017 | 34.62 billion current LCU | +37.9% |
| 2018 | 42.66 billion current LCU | +23.2% |
| 2019 | 62.54 billion current LCU | +46.6% |
| 2020 | 73.54 billion current LCU | +17.6% |
| 2021 | 72.85 billion current LCU | -0.9% |
| 2022 | 110.08 billion current LCU | +51.1% |
| 2023 | 170.07 billion current LCU | +54.5% |
| 2024 | 202.63 billion current LCU | +19.1% |
| 2025 | 282.40 billion current LCU | +39.4% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 282.40 billion current LCU is above the median for low income countries, which is 216.60 billion current LCU, 1.3× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 282.40 billion current LCU is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 122.65 billion current LCU, 2.3× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.47 million current LCU | 1.26 million current LCU | 1.63 million current LCU | 5 |
| 1970s | 9.97 million current LCU | 1.71 million current LCU | 35.15 million current LCU | 10 |
| 1980s | 40.13 million current LCU | 26.10 million current LCU | 62.87 million current LCU | 10 |
| 1990s | 248.24 million current LCU | 66.34 million current LCU | 635.00 million current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.44 billion current LCU | 698.30 million current LCU | 8.30 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | 25.64 billion current LCU | 7.52 billion current LCU | 62.54 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | 151.93 billion current LCU | 72.85 billion current LCU | 282.40 billion current LCU | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More public sector data for Malawi
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote in practice, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Arms imports 2.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 0.9237 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2022)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0015 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate -100 % change on previous year (2016)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military expenditure in Malawi?
- Military expenditure in Malawi was 282.40 billion current LCU in 2025, according to SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
- What is the highest military expenditure recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 282.40 billion current LCU in 2025.
- What is the lowest military expenditure recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.26 million current LCU in 1965.
- How does Malawi rank for military expenditure?
- Malawi ranks 51st out of 168 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military expenditure rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1,290.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), published as part of Military expenditure (current LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 61 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Military expenditure in local currency at current prices (by calendar year)