Malawi: Leave No Malawian Offline? Understanding the Country's Persistent Gender Digital Divide

19 December 2025
Afrobarometer (Accra)
By Edson Ntodwa, Bertha Nguluwe and Boniface Dulani

Although Internet usage has gradually increased for both women and men, the gender gap has widened over time.

Key findings

  • Mobile-phone network coverage has been consistently high in Malawi for more than a decade. Nine out of 10 surveyed enumeration areas (91%) have mobile-phone services.
  • Mobile-phone ownership has increased steadily over the past decade; currently, two- thirds (66%) of adult Malawians own a mobile phone.
  • Mobile-phone ownership has grown among both men and women, but the gender gap remains virtually unchanged: 74% of men own a phone, compared to 57% of women.
  • Ownership is more common among more educated individuals, urban residents, and residents of the Northern Region compared to their various counterparts.
  • Access to Internet-enabled devices remains limited. Despite modest gains in recent years, only a quarter (25%) of adult Malawians own a smartphone, and just one in 10 households (10%) own a computer.
  • Like mobile-phone ownership, smartphone and computer ownership is more common among men, more educated individuals, urbanites, and Northern Region residents, as well as economically better-off citizens and those whose homes have electricity.
  • Internet usage is not widespread: Seven in 10 Malawians (71%) say they never use the Internet, while only 13% say they use it daily.
  • Only one in four Malawians (26%) say they use the Internet at least a few times a month, the second-lowest rate across 38 African countries surveyed in 2024/2025.
  • Disparities in Internet usage are prominent, showing significant disadvantages for women, less educated citizens, the poor, rural and Central Region residents, and citizens without electricity.
  • Although Internet usage has gradually increased for both men and women since 2008, the gender gap has widened over time, to 15 percentage points in 2024.
  • An analysis of the gender gap in Internet usage shows that it is driven in part by gender differences in education and mobile-phone ownership.

Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn

Digital inclusion is becoming increasingly important for accessing services, information, and economic opportunities. Digital inclusion refers to efforts to ensure that everyone, including disadvantaged groups, can access and effectively use information and communication technologies (ICTs) (National Digital Initiative Alliance, 2024). United Nations (2015) Sustainable Development Goal 9 underscores the importance of this agenda, urging countries to significantly increase access to ICTs and strive to provide universal, affordable Internet access by 2030. Research shows that a digitally inclusive society is vital for economic and workforce development, civic participation, education, health care, and public safety (Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development, 2019; Institute of Museum and Library Services, 2012).

While significant progress has been made in this regard, notably in Asia, Africa nevertheless risks missing the 2030 target for universal and affordable Internet access (Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development, 2019). As of 2021, only 22% of the sub-Saharan African population was connected to the Internet despite mobile broadband network coverage of 83% - leaving 61% of people in the region covered by a network but unable to use it. Affordability, literacy and digital skills are among the most frequently cited barriers for those aware of mobile Internet but not using it (Delaporte, 2025).

Malawi has one of sub-Saharan Africa's lowest Internet penetration rates, at 27.7%, due to poor ICT infrastructure and high tariff charges imposed on ICT services despite 4G network coverage. The country also reports a digital literacy rate of just 62%, with significant gender differences and low digital skills limiting effective engagement with digital technologies, (United Nations Development Programme, 2025).

Evidence shows that demographic and socioeconomic characteristics such as age, education, income, geography, gender, and language shape who has digital access (Delaporte, 2025; Munyati, 2025; Gilleard & Higgs, 2008; Paradigm Initiative, 2021). Understanding these inequalities is crucial for designing inclusive policies that ensure no Malawian is left offline.

This analysis of Afrobarometer survey data assesses disparities in digital access and use in Malawi, highlighting groups most at risk of digital exclusion. Results show that access to the Internet and Internet-enabled devices remains very limited, placing Malawi second-last among 38 African countries in Internet usage. Substantial disparities persist across socio-demographic groups: lack of access and use are more common among women, rural residents, less educated individuals, and the poor. The gender gap in Internet use has increased over time, driven in part by gender differences in education and mobile-phone ownership.

Edson Ntodwa Edson Ntodwa is a senior research associate.

Bertha Nguluwe Bertha Nguluwe is a lecturer in economics at the University of Malawi.

Boniface Dulani Boni is the director of surveys at Afrobarometer

Read the original article on Afrobarometer.

Tagged:
Copyright © 2025 Afrobarometer. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.

AllAfrica publishes around 500 reports a day from more than 120 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.