LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Public confidence in the government’s handling of Malawi’s economy has recorded a dramatic turnaround, with 53 percent of citizens now expressing satisfaction, marking the highest approval rating in the Afrobarometer survey series since 2014.
The latest Afrobarometer findings reveal a remarkable shift in public perceptions, with economic management approval rising by 32 percentage points between 2024 and 2026.
The figures represent a significant departure from more than a decade of predominantly negative public assessments of successive administrations.
Historical data show that only 28 percent of Malawians considered the government’s economic management satisfactory in 2014. The figure dropped to 14 percent in 2017 before recovering to 25 percent in 2019.
Public approval subsequently declined to 13 percent in 2022 and improved modestly to 21 percent in 2024.
However, the latest reading of 53 percent represents the first time a majority of Malawians have rated the government’s economic management positively in the survey series.
The findings are contained in Afrobarometer’s Round 11 survey, conducted between August 5 and 17, 2026, through the Centre for Social Research at the University of Malawi.
The nationwide exercise involved face-to-face interviews with 1,200 adults aged 18 and above, with a margin of sampling error of plus or minus three percentage points.
The survey, titled Malawian Perspectives on Economic Conditions and Management and on the Role of Parliament, provides an early assessment of public attitudes towards the administration of President Arthur Peter Mutharika, who returned to power in October 2025.
Despite the improved assessment of economic management, the findings reveal that household economic pressures remain widespread.
About 60 percent of respondents believe Malawi is heading in the wrong direction, while 58 percent describe the country’s economic situation as fairly bad or very bad.
Furthermore, 59 percent say economic conditions have deteriorated over the past five years.
The survey also highlights the depth of household financial difficulties, with 89 percent reporting that they had gone without a cash income at least once during the preceding year.
Another 70 percent said they had experienced food shortages, while 58 percent had borrowed money from relatives or friends to meet their needs.
These figures suggest that improved perceptions of government performance have yet to translate into widespread economic security for ordinary households.
On specific economic issues, 54 percent of respondents rated the government’s efforts to create a favourable business environment positively, while 52 percent approved of its handling of inflation.
However, employment creation remains a major concern, with only 38 percent believing the government is performing well in generating jobs.
Political scientist Henry Chingaipe attributed the improved public assessment partly to greater price stability, observing that consumers may appreciate predictable prices even when inflation remains relatively high.
His explanation highlights the importance of reducing price volatility in rebuilding public confidence, particularly after periods when the cost of goods changed rapidly.
The survey also exposes difficult policy choices facing the government, particularly regarding foreign exchange and fuel pricing.
Approximately 68 percent of respondents oppose devaluing the kwacha, even if such a measure could help address foreign exchange shortages.
Similarly, 67 percent favour keeping fuel prices low, even when this could contribute to supply shortages.
Economics Association of Malawi president Bertha Bangara Chikadza has cautioned that maintaining fuel prices below import and supply costs could discourage suppliers and worsen shortages.
Mzuzu University economist Christopher Mbukwa has also highlighted the sensitivity of fuel prices, given their direct impact on transportation and the cost of essential goods.
The findings therefore present a complex picture of Malawi’s economic environment: growing confidence in government management alongside persistent household hardship and resistance to potentially difficult economic adjustments.
While the 53 percent approval rating represents a substantial improvement in public perception, it should not be mistaken for evidence that the country’s economic challenges have been resolved.
Instead, the results suggest that many Malawians are recognising changes in how the economy is being managed, even as they continue to struggle with unemployment, food insecurity and limited household incomes.
For the Mutharika administration, the challenge will be to convert improved public confidence into tangible improvements in living standards, employment opportunities and access to essential commodities.
Whether the latest approval represents the beginning of sustained economic confidence or a temporary improvement in public sentiment will become clearer through subsequent Afrobarometer surveys.
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