Mobile Money Account Ownership Statistics in Malawi (2026)

As of the 2024 data, 47.4% of adults in Malawi had a mobile money account, per World Bank Global Findex. Up from 34.3% in 2021 to 47.4% in 2024 (+13.1 percentage points). Malawi ranks #18 of 36 economies in Sub-Saharan Africa on this measure, and #24 of 87 globally.

Key Statistics

Latest value (2024): 47.4% (2024); Mobile Money Account Ownership in Malawi as of 2024, the most recent observation in World Bank Global Findex data.
Change since 2021: +13.1 pp (2024); Up from 34.3% in 2021 to 47.4% in 2024 (+13.1 percentage points).
Earliest value in this dataset (2014): 3.8% (2014); Earliest observation in this dataset, which covers 1990 onward (the source series may begin earlier). Up from 3.8% in 2014 to 47.4% in 2024.
Record high (2024): 47.4% (2024); The 2024 value is the highest in the available World Bank Global Findex series for Malawi.
Rank in Sub-Saharan Africa: #18 of 36 (2024); Malawi ranks 18 of 36 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa with data, based on each country's latest value.
Global rank: #24 of 87 (2024); Malawi ranks 24 of 87 countries with data globally.
Sub-Saharan Africa average: 41% (2024); Malawi (47.4%) is above the average of 41% across the 36 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa with data.
Among women (2024): 43.8% (2024); Value for women in Malawi, same 2024 World Bank Global Findex data.
Among men (2024): 51.4% (2024); Value for men in Malawi, same 2024 World Bank Global Findex data.
Gender gap (women minus men): −7.6 pp (2024); In 2024, the figure was 43.8% for women and 51.4% for men — 7.6 percentage points lower among women.
In rural areas (2024): 46.1% (2024); Value for rural residents of Malawi in 2024.
Rural gap vs national: −1.3 pp (2024); Rural residents (46.1%) are 1.3 percentage points below the national figure (47.4%).
Among the poorest 40% (2024): 34.8% (2024); Value for adults in the poorest 40% of households in Malawi in 2024.
Poorest-40% gap vs national: −12.6 pp (2024); The poorest 40% (34.8%) are 12.6 percentage points below the national figure (47.4%).
Internet use in Malawi (2024): 19% (2024); 19% of the population in Malawi used the internet in 2024 (World Bank); shown for context only.
Population (2024): 21.7 million (2024); Malawi had a population of 21.7 million in 2024 (World Bank); shown for scale only.

Trend, 2014–2024

Mobile Money Account Ownership in Malawi by year (% of adults (age 15+))
Year	% of adults (age 15+)	Change
2024	47.4%	+13.1 pp
2021	34.3%	+14.0 pp
2017	20.3%	+16.5 pp
2014	3.8%	—

Fig. 1 — Mobile Money Account Ownership in Malawi, 2014–2024

Frequently asked questions

What share of adults in Malawi had a mobile money account?

47.4% of adults in Malawi had a mobile money account in 2024, according to World Bank Global Findex data.

How recent is the mobile money account ownership data for Malawi?

The most recent observation is from 2024. World Bank Global Findex data is reported with a lag, so 2024 is the latest available year for Malawi.

Where does the mobile money account ownership data for Malawi come from?

The data comes from the World Bank Global Findex (indicator mobileaccount.t.d). The latest observation for Malawi is from 2024; the snapshot was retrieved on 2026-06-10.

How has mobile money account ownership in Malawi changed over time?

World Bank Global Findex data show a rise from 3.8% in 2014 to 47.4% in 2024.

How does Malawi compare with other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa?

Malawi ranks 18 of 36 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa with data, with 47.4% versus a regional average of 41% (latest values per country).

Source & methodology

Source: World Bank Global Findex, indicator mobileaccount.t.d, retrieved 2026-06-10.

Figures are shown exactly as published in the source dataset; only the change column of the trend table is computed from adjacent published values.Read more on the methodology page. All figures are estimates and projections; this is not financial advice.

Last updated 2026-06-10.