Moving to Malawi from Nigeria
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Nigeria to Malawi — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Nigeria to Malawi. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Lilongwe averages 75°F vs 91°F in Abuja, making it significantly cooler.
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Nigeria to Malawi.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Nigeria generally does better on safety, though Malawi leads in homicide rate.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Malawi generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Nigeria leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Malawi performs significantly better than Nigeria across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
share of households with internet
Nigeria generally does better on infrastructure, though Malawi leads in broadband per 100 people.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Nigeria performs better than Malawi across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
Malawi performs significantly better than Nigeria across all family life metrics.
Data: Federal Inland Revenue Service, Nigeria, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Abuja | Lilongwe |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 97°/74°F (36°/23°C) | 78°/61°F (25°/16°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 91°/69°F (33°/21°C) | 72°/53°F (22°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/66°F (29°/19°C) | 72°/45°F (22°/7°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 93°/64°F (34°/18°C) | 80°/57°F (27°/14°C) |
View all months
| Month | Abuja | Lilongwe |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 94°/69°F (34.7°/20.4°C) | 78°/61°F (25.5°/16.1°C) |
| Feb | 98°/78°F (36.8°/25.5°C) | 78°/62°F (25.6°/16.5°C) |
| Mar | 98°/76°F (36.9°/24.3°C) | 77°/61°F (24.8°/16.0°C) |
| Apr | 96°/76°F (35.6°/24.7°C) | 74°/59°F (23.5°/14.9°C) |
| May | 91°/67°F (32.7°/19.5°C) | 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.6°C) |
| Jun | 87°/65°F (30.6°/18.3°C) | 69°/46°F (20.4°/7.9°C) |
| Jul | 84°/71°F (29.1°/21.9°C) | 69°/44°F (20.3°/6.5°C) |
| Aug | 84°/64°F (28.9°/17.7°C) | 71°/44°F (21.9°/6.6°C) |
| Sep | 86°/64°F (30.0°/17.5°C) | 77°/48°F (25.1°/8.7°C) |
| Oct | 90°/71°F (32.0°/21.4°C) | 81°/53°F (27.2°/11.7°C) |
| Nov | 94°/60°F (34.4°/15.7°C) | 81°/58°F (27.2°/14.2°C) |
| Dec | 94°/60°F (34.6°/15.5°C) | 79°/61°F (26.1°/15.9°C) |
Data:
Nigerian Meteorological Agency,
Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Nigeria and Malawi. To live, work, or study long-term in Malawi, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Malawi's immigration authority.
Nigeria passport holder visiting Malawi
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Malawi passport holder visiting Nigeria
Visa Online (e-Visa)Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work remotely from Malawi?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Malawi has 0.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Malawi safe for expats?
Nigeria generally does better on safety, though Malawi leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Malawi is 1.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 21.7 in Nigeria.
How is healthcare in Malawi compared to Nigeria?
Malawi generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Nigeria leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 0.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Malawi, compared to 3.9 in Nigeria. Malawi scores 48 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Nigeria: 38).
What's the weather like in Malawi compared to Nigeria?
The average high temperature in Lilongwe is 75°F, compared to 91°F in Abuja. Lilongwe receives around 50.7 in of rainfall per year, while Abuja gets 48.1 in.
What language do they speak in Malawi?
The official languages in Malawi are Chewa and English. In Nigeria, the official language is English.
