Malawi Tax Revenue
Tax revenue as % of GDP GC.TAX.TOTL.GD.ZS
Malawi's tax revenue was 13.41% in 2025, ranked 82nd globally. This represents a 0.7% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 2009–2025.
Overview
Malawi's tax revenue stood at 13.41% in 2025, a decline of +0.09% from 2022. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 13.41% by 2025. Malawi ranked 82nd globally.
Malawi’s tax revenue as a share of GDP has risen steadily over the 15‑year span from 9.94 percent in 2009 to 13.41 percent in 2025, placing the country 82nd globally. The upward trajectory peaked at 13.50 percent in 2022, following a low of 9.32 percent in 2012, indicating that fiscal mobilization has more than recovered from the post‑global‑financial‑crisis trough. This progress is comparable to regional peers: Kenya recorded 13.61 percent and Uganda 13.37 percent in the same year, suggesting that Malawi is closing the gap with its East African neighbours. The consistent increase reflects broader tax reforms and improved compliance, yet the modest margin to the all‑time peak implies limited headroom for rapid expansion without structural changes. Continued diversification of the tax base and enhancements in administration will be crucial to sustain the upward trend and move the share beyond the recent high.
Data & projection
| Year | Tax Revenue | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025* trend | 13.41% | - | - |
| 2025 | 13.41% | −0.09% | #82 |
| 2022 | 13.50% | +1.92% | #34 |
| 2021 | 11.59% | −0.54% | #29 |
| 2020 | 12.13% | +0.16% | #35 |
| 2019 | 11.98% | −0.20% | #32 |
| 2018 | 12.18% | −0.01% | #35 |
| 2017 | 12.18% | +1.55% | #39 |
| 2016 | 10.64% | +0.10% | #22 |
| 2015 | 10.54% | −0.41% | #22 |
| 2014 | 10.95% | +1.24% | #25 |
| 2013 | 9.71% | +0.39% | #16 |
| 2012 | 9.32% | −1.30% | #16 |
| 2011 | 10.62% | +0.05% | #22 |
| 2010 | 10.56% | +0.62% | #23 |
| 2009 | 9.94% | – | #20 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Malawi matched the Currency Crisis Pattern pattern in 2016. Historically, 27% of countries showing this pattern (35 out of 128) saw tax revenue improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Malawi's tax revenue was 13.41% in 2025. Ranked 82nd globally. This represents a 0.7% decrease from the previous year.
Malawi's tax revenue peaked at 13.50% in 2022.
The lowest tax revenue in Malawi was 9.32% in 2012.
Malawi ranks 82nd globally in tax revenue as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is GC.TAX.TOTL.GD.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Malawi's tax revenue is projected to reach 13.41% by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The tax revenue of Malawi in 2025 was 13.41%. This ranks 82nd in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_malawi_tax-revenue,
title = {Malawi Tax Revenue},
url = {https://historysaid.com/malawi/tax-revenue/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}