Electricity and sockets
Malawi needs no adapter from the UK: Type G sockets accept the plugs you already use.
Sockets at the destination
Mains supply in Malawi: 230 V, 50 Hz, sockets of Type G. A converter can stay at home; Malawi supplies 230 V.
You will find identical sockets in Zambia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Zimbabwe. Watch out when moving on: the Western Sahara, Congo, The Democratic Republic of the and Egypt use a completely different system. In Africa, 11 of 55 recorded destinations use exactly this combination.
Protective earth
The usual sockets in Malawi include a protective earth.
Quick check by home country
| From the UK | no adapter needed | Check route → |
|---|---|---|
| From the US | adapter for Type G | Check route → |
Phone chargers, laptop supplies and 230 V hair dryers from the UK all run in Malawi without a converter. Check your own device →
The same sockets are used further afield: Gibraltar, Cyprus, the Isle of Man, Dominica, Hong Kong and Brunei.
Common questions
Not needed – Type G sockets take UK and European plugs.
Type G – that is what you will find in Malawi (230 V, 50 Hz).
No converter needed – Malawi runs at 230 V.
If a socket gets hot, crackles or smells burnt, unplug the device straight away.
Data for Malawi from IEC World Plugs and IEC TR 60083. Sources and method →