Malawi Services Employment
Employment in services SL.SRV.EMPL.ZS
Malawi's services employment was 27.68% in 2025, ranked 10th globally. This represents a 0.9% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1991–2025.
Overview
Malawi's services employment stood at 27.68% in 2025, a rise of +0.24% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 27.65% by 2026. Malawi ranked 10th globally.
Malawi’s share of employment in services rose steadily from 19.17 percent in 1991 to a record high of 28.59 percent in 2019, reflecting the sector’s gradual expansion over a 35‑year span. After a brief dip to an all‑time trough of 18.33 percent in 1992, the proportion of workers in services increased by an average of roughly 0.28 percentage points per year, reaching 27.68 percent in 2025, which places the country tenth globally. This recent level is close to the figures recorded for neighboring Tanzania (27.32 percent) and Uganda (27.85 percent), underscoring a regional convergence toward service‑oriented labour markets. The upward trajectory suggests that continued investment in tourism, telecommunications and financial services could sustain modest growth, while any slowdown in these sub‑sectors or a reversal in macro‑economic stability might blunt the advance. Future shifts in policy and private‑sector development will therefore be pivotal in determining whether Malawi can maintain its ascent in services employment.
Data & projection
| Year | Services Employment | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2028* trend | 27.80% | - | - |
| 2027* trend | 27.72% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 27.65% | - | - |
| 2025 | 27.68% | +0.24% | #10 |
| 2024 | 27.43% | +0.06% | #11 |
| 2023 | 27.37% | +0.11% | #11 |
| 2022 | 27.27% | −0.13% | #12 |
| 2021 | 27.40% | −0.27% | #13 |
| 2020 | 27.67% | −0.92% | #12 |
| 2019 | 28.59% | +0.46% | #12 |
| 2018 | 28.13% | +0.42% | #12 |
| 2017 | 27.72% | +0.35% | #12 |
| 2016 | 27.37% | +0.17% | #12 |
| 2015 | 27.20% | +0.25% | #12 |
| 2014 | 26.95% | +0.44% | #13 |
| 2013 | 26.51% | +0.50% | #13 |
| 2012 | 26.00% | +0.07% | #14 |
| 2011 | 25.94% | +0.42% | #15 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Malawi matched the Currency Crisis Pattern pattern in 2016. Historically, 27% of countries showing this pattern (35 out of 128) saw services employment improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Malawi's services employment was 27.68% in 2025. Ranked 10th globally. This represents a 0.9% increase from the previous year.
Malawi's services employment peaked at 28.59% in 2019.
The lowest services employment in Malawi was 18.33% in 1992.
Malawi ranks 10th globally in services employment as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SL.SRV.EMPL.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Malawi's services employment is projected to reach 27.65% by 2026 based on trend extrapolation.
The services employment of Malawi in 2025 was 27.68%. This ranks 10th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_malawi_services-employment,
title = {Malawi Services Employment},
url = {https://historysaid.com/malawi/services-employment/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}