Government consumption (% of GDP) — all countries

Government consumption (% of GDP) — Malawi

Government consumption (% of GDP) in Malawi in 2025 — 18.2%. Ranked 51 in the world out of 132. Since 2017, the indicator has fallen by 4.4 pp.

2025 18.2% −0.8 pp vs 2024
World rank 51of 132
Period maximum 22.6%2017
Period minimum 18.2%2025

Trend over time

2017–2025 · % of GDP

Government consumption (% of GDP) — Malawi, 2017–2025182022242017201820192020202120222023202420252017: 22.6%2018: 22.3%2019: 22.4%2020: 20.9%2021: 20.8%2022: 21.4%2023: 19%2024: 19%2025: 18.2%
Change over the period: −4.4 pp Annual average: -0.55 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Malawi

Malawi 18.2%
Eastern Africa computed 10.7%
Low-income countries computed 12.3%
Government consumption (% of GDP) — Malawi, by year Malawi All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 18.2 −0.8 pp
2024 19 +0 pp
2023 19 −2.4 pp
2022 21.4 +0.6 pp
2021 20.8 −0.1 pp
2020 20.9 −1.5 pp
2019 22.4 +0.1 pp
2018 22.3 −0.3 pp
2017 22.6

About the indicator

General government final consumption expenditure as a percent of GDP: compensation of public employees, purchases of goods and services for delivering public services, and spending on defense and security. It leaves out public investment and social transfers, so the indicator is lower than the overall size of the budget.

Source: World Development Indicators (World Bank), license CC BY 4.0.