Mobile phone penetration as a percentage of population rose 16.3% to 60.0% in Malawi in 2021, according to World Bank.
Historically, mobile phone penetration as a percentage of population in Malawi reached an all time high of 60.0% in 2021 and an all time low of 0.004% in 1995. When compared to Malawi's main peers, mobile phone penetration as a percentage of population in Mozambique amounted to 42.7%, 169% in South Africa, 85.0% in Tanzania and 104% in Zambia in 2021.
Malawi has been ranked 137th within the group of 144 countries we follow in terms of mobile phone penetration as a percentage of population, 30 places above the position seen 10 years ago.
| Mobile Phone Penetration (As % of Population) | Unit | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
| Angola | % | 49.4% | 44.6% | 44.1% | 42.5% | 45.8% | ||||||||||||||||
| Botswana | % | 151% | 140% | 135% | 138% | 150% | ||||||||||||||||
| Dem. Republic of the Congo | % | 48.0% | 35.5% | 42.0% | 41.9% | 41.3% | ... | |||||||||||||||
| Kenya | % | 80.5% | 81.4% | 87.5% | 99.1% | 107% | ||||||||||||||||
| Lesotho | % | 101% | 106% | 110% | 72.0% | 75.6% | ||||||||||||||||
| Malawi | % | 38.8% | 41.2% | 43.5% | 38.5% | 47.2% | ||||||||||||||||
| Mozambique | % | 75.0% | 54.3% | 41.6% | 47.8% | 48.8% | ||||||||||||||||
| Namibia | % | 112% | 114% | 113% | 115% | 115% | ||||||||||||||||
| South Africa | % | 157% | 146% | 156% | 161% | 167% | ||||||||||||||||
| Swaziland | % | 83.0% | 87.1% | 91.4% | 93.5% | 101% | ... | |||||||||||||||
| Tanzania | % | 75.5% | 73.6% | 71.0% | 74.9% | 79.6% | ||||||||||||||||
| Uganda | % | 54.0% | 58.9% | 62.2% | 58.9% | 59.1% | ||||||||||||||||
| Zambia | % | 71.1% | 71.7% | 77.7% | 86.7% | 93.7% | ||||||||||||||||
| Zimbabwe | % | 90.1% | 89.1% | 95.5% | 85.8% | 85.9% |
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