Budgeting and the Informal Economy in Lilongwe, Malawi

In 2013, 89 per cent of Malawi’s 5.5 million employed people were informally employed. Informal economy budget analysis (IEBA) explores the extent to which government budgets address the needs of informal workers. The IEBA in this brief focuses on Lilongwe, Malawi and specifically on the needs of informal vendors, who constitute the largest single group of informal workers in Lilongwe City. Information for the study was collected through reviewing budget and other documents, interviewing key stakeholders, and focus group discussions with representatives of market vendors.