Time required to start a business in Malawi
Malawi: Time required to start a business was 37 days in 2019. ▬ Flat
Time required to start a business in Malawi, 2003–2019
Source: Doing Business project, World Bank (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in days.
Analysis
The most recent figure for time required to start a business in Malawi is 37 days, measured in 2019.
That represents a change of up 2.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, time required to start a business in Malawi peaked at 43 days in 2003 and was at its lowest, 36 days, in 2009.
Malawi ranks 23rd of 188 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Time required to start a business in Malawi, year by year
| Year | days | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 43 days | — |
| 2004 | 37 days | -14.0% |
| 2005 | 37 days | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 37 days | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 37 days | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 37 days | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 36 days | -2.7% |
| 2010 | 36 days | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 36 days | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 37 days | +2.8% |
| 2013 | 40 days | +8.1% |
| 2014 | 38 days | -5.0% |
| 2015 | 38 days | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 37 days | -2.6% |
| 2017 | 37 days | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 37 days | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 37 days | +0.0% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 37 days is above the median for low income countries, which is 14.25 days, 2.6× the median. (24 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 37 days is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14.25 days, 2.6× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 37.71 days | 36 days | 43 days | 7 |
| 2010s | 37.3 days | 36 days | 40 days | 10 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More reference data data for Malawi
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.1596 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.09 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 3.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.3426 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 3.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5353 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.6012 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 4.92 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 16.7 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.87 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is time required to start a business in Malawi?
- Time required to start a business in Malawi was 37 days in 2019, according to Doing Business project, World Bank (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest time required to start a business recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 43 days in 2003.
- What is the lowest time required to start a business recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 36 days in 2009.
- How does Malawi rank for time required to start a business?
- Malawi ranks 23rd out of 188 countries with data for 2019.
- Is time required to start a business rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from Doing Business project, World Bank (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Time required to start a business. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 17 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of calendar days needed to complete the procedures to legally operate a business.