Adoption of communication technologies in Malawi

Malawi: Adoption of communication technologies was 4,869 in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
4,869
Change on year
up 1.3%
World rank
191st
of 212 countries
All-time high
227,295
in 2012
All-time low
3,500
in 1960
Years of data
65
1960–2024

Adoption of communication technologies in Malawi, 1960–2024

050.0k100.0k150.0k200.0k250.0k196019922024

Source: International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

In 2024, adoption of communication technologies in Malawi stood at 4,869.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.3% on the previous year and down 74.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, adoption of communication technologies in Malawi peaked at 227,295 in 2012 and was at its lowest, 3,500, in 1960.

Malawi ranks 191st of 212 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 3,700 3,500 3,900 10
1970s 8,392 6,000 13,164 10
1980s 19,488 14,555 25,960 10
1990s 33,735 26,640 41,562 10
2000s 98,275 46,444 175,209 10
2010s 67,654 11,234 227,295 10
2020s 8,802 4,808 12,465 5

Countries ranked near Malawi

  1. 188 Liberia 6,254 compare
  2. 189 Palau 6,154 compare
  3. 190 Greenland 4,996 compare
  4. 192 Samoa 4,567 compare
  5. 193 Turks and Caicos Islands 4,052 compare
  6. 194 Madagascar 3,413 compare

See the full ranking of 212 places →

More reference data data for Malawi

All data for Malawi →

Frequently asked questions

What is adoption of communication technologies in Malawi?
Adoption of communication technologies in Malawi was 4,869 in 2024, according to International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest adoption of communication technologies recorded in Malawi?
The highest recorded value was 227,295 in 2012.
What is the lowest adoption of communication technologies recorded in Malawi?
The lowest recorded value was 3,500 in 1960.
How does Malawi rank for adoption of communication technologies?
Malawi ranks 191st out of 212 countries with data for 2024.
Is adoption of communication technologies rising or falling in Malawi?
Over the last ten years it is down 74.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Malawi data come from?
The figures come from International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Adoption of communication technologies. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

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About this data

Indicator
Adoption of communication technologies
Source
International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
212 places, 11,803 data points, 1960–2024
Last refreshed