Real interest rate in Malawi
Malawi: Real interest rate was 10.0% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Real interest rate in Malawi, 1981–2024
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for real interest rate in Malawi is 10.0%, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of up 184.8% on the previous year and down 48.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, real interest rate in Malawi peaked at 35.0% in 2003 and was at its lowest, -29.2%, in 2002.
That places Malawi 26th out of 148 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 3.2% | -6.7% | 8.7% | 9 |
| 1990s | 4.0% | -16.9% | 15.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 14.8% | -29.2% | 35.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.3% | 8.6% | 25.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.4% | 3.5% | 16.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More financial sector data for Malawi
- Domestic credit to private sector 7.9% (2024)
- Net domestic credit 7.84 trillion current LCU (2024)
- Total reserves in months of imports 1.91 (2020)
- Net foreign assets -1.65 trillion current LCU (2024)
- Domestic credit to private sector by banks 7.7% (2024)
- Claims on central government, etc. 27.9% (2024)
- Monetary Sector credit to private sector 7.9% (2024)
- Broad money 27.2% (2024)
- Official exchange rate 1,161 LCU per US$, period average (2023)
- Net migration -5,628 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is real interest rate in Malawi?
- Real interest rate in Malawi was 10.0% in 2024, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest real interest rate recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 35.0% in 2003.
- What is the lowest real interest rate recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was -29.2% in 2002.
- How does Malawi rank for real interest rate?
- Malawi ranks 26th out of 148 countries with data for 2024.
- Is real interest rate rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 48.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Real interest rate (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
An interest rate is the amount charged, expressed as a percentage of the principal over a period of time, by the owners of certain kinds of financial assets for putting the financial assets at the disposal of another institutional unit. The real interest rate is the lending interest rate adjusted for inflation as measured by the GDP deflator. The terms and conditions attached to lending rates differ by country, however, limiting their comparability. This indicator is expressed as a percentage (a÷b)*100.