Malawi Military Spending
Malawi spends an estimated 1.1% of GDP on its military in 2026; its most recent reported expenditure in US dollars is $128 million (2025).
Defense budget and military expenditure data (1965–2027)
Data updated: July 7, 2026
Key Facts (2026 estimate)
Military Expenditure
$132 million
Ranked #132 of 153 countries worldwide
Percent of GDP
1.1%
Ranked #119 of 163 countries by % of GDP
Year-over-Year Change
+3.1%
From $128M in 2025
Historical Peak Spending
$130 million
Reached in 2023
How the 2026 figures are produced. Neither figure is a researched budget estimate. The share-of-GDP figure is the arithmetic mean of Malawi’s last 3 reported years (2023–2025), carried across both estimate years unchanged. The dollar figure is not a per-country forecast — it is the actual SIPRI figure for 2025 raised by a flat 3%, the same rate applied to every country in this group, so it can rise even where the share-of-GDP path falls. Actual SIPRI figures for Malawi run to 2025.
Malawi Defense Budget Summary
In 2026, Malawi is estimated to have spent $132 million on military and defense, representing 1.1% of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This budget covers the armed forces including army, navy, and air force expenditures. Malawi is the #132 highest military spender in the world by absolute spending.
Compared to the previous year (2025), defense spending increased by 3.1%, from $128 million to $132 million. This change in the military budget reflects growing defense priorities.
The highest percentage of GDP allocated to defense spending was 4.1% in 1979. The historical average military budget is 0.8% of GDP.
Data source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database. Values are in constant 2024 US dollars. Data for 2026 is an estimate based on government budget announcements.
Historical Military Spending
Military Spending (% of GDP)
Military Spending (USD Billions, 2024 prices)
Historical Data
| Year | Percent of GDP | USD (millions) |
|---|---|---|
| 2027(estimate) | 1.13% | $136M |
| 2026(estimate) | 1.13% | $132M |
| 2025 | 1.15% | $128M |
| 2024 | 1.06% | $118M |
| 2023 | 1.17% | $130M |
| 2022 | 0.93% | $109M |
| 2021 | 0.73% | $87M |
| 2020 | 0.83% | $96M |
| 2019 | 0.76% | $89M |
| 2018 | 0.59% | $66M |
| 2017 | 0.53% | $60M |
| 2016 | 0.45% | $49M |
| 2015 | 0.45% | $48M |
| 2014 | 0.58% | $61M |
| 2013 | 0.81% | $82M |
| 2012 | 0.54% | $52M |
| 2011 | 0.47% | $46M |
| 2010 | 0.51% | $45M |
| 2009 | 0.67% | $53M |
| 2008 | 0.59% | $43M |
| 2007 | 0.54% | $35M |
| 2006 | 0.55% | $34M |
| 2005 | 0.74% | $42M |
| 2004 | 0.45% | $26M |
| 2003 | 0.29% | $15M |
| 2002 | 0.30% | $15M |
| 2001 | 0.30% | $14M |
| 2000 | 0.28% | $13M |
| 1999 | 0.33% | $15M |
| 1998 | 0.34% | $15M |
| 1997 | 0.41% | $19M |
| 1996 | 0.36% | $15M |
| 1995 | 0.32% | $11M |
| 1994 | 0.58% | $18M |
| 1993 | 0.51% | $19M |
| 1992 | 0.57% | $18M |
| 1991 | 0.44% | $17M |
| 1990 | 0.58% | $19M |
| 1989 | 0.61% | $20M |
| 1988 | 0.62% | $18M |
| 1987 | 0.76% | $23M |
| 1986 | 0.86% | $27M |
| 1985 | 0.72% | $23M |
| 1984 | 0.64% | $20M |
| 1983 | 0.74% | $24M |
| 1982 | 0.94% | $29M |
| 1981 | 1.27% | $39M |
| 1980 | 1.76% | $54M |
| 1979 | 4.07% | $56M |
| 1978 | 2.69% | $40M |
| 1977 | 1.69% | $26M |
| 1976 | 1.37% | $20M |
| 1975 | 1.53% | $21M |
| 1974 | 0.97% | $14M |
| 1973 | 1.06% | $14M |
| 1972 | 0.60% | $9M |
| 1971 | 0.58% | $8M |
| 1970 | 0.64% | $8M |
| 1969 | 0.67% | $8M |
| 1968 | 0.70% | $8M |
| 1967 | 0.72% | — |
| 1966 | 0.65% | — |
| 1965 | 0.70% | — |