Time in Malawi Now

Malawi follows Central Africa Time (CAT), which runs on UTC +2 throughout the year. The country does not observe Daylight Saving Time, so the time stays the same in all seasons. This makes timekeeping simple, predictable, and convenient for residents, travelers, and businesses.

Major cities such as Lilongwe, Blantyre, Mzuzu, Zomba, and Kasungu all use the same national time zone. This ensures smooth coordination for travel, communication, and daily activities across the country.

Malawi Time Zone Information

• IANA Time Zone: Africa/Blantyre

• UTC Offset: UTC +2 hours

• Time Zone Abbreviation: CAT (Central Africa Time)

• DST: Not observed

• DST Abbreviation: None — time remains constant year-round

Malawi shares its time zone with several Central and Eastern African countries that also follow CAT.

Malawi time zone(s)

The official IANA identifier for Malawi is Africa/Blantyre.

Daylight Saving Time in Malawi

Malawi does not observe Daylight Saving Time.
The country remains on UTC +2 throughout the entire year, ensuring consistent and unified timekeeping.

Major cities in Malawi & their time

All major cities follow the same national time zone.

Brief info for Malawi time

• Number of time zones: 1

• Capital city: Lilongwe

• Default time: Central Africa Time (CAT)

• Daylight Saving Time: Not used

• IANA Time Zone ID: Africa/Blantyre

• Standard UTC Offset: UTC +2

• Neighbouring countries with same time: Zambia, Zimbabwe, Rwanda (partly), Burundi

• Regional differences: None — the entire country uses one time zone

Pros and Cons

Pros

1. One national time zone keeps scheduling simple and consistent.

2. UTC +2 aligns with many Central and Eastern African countries.

3. No DST — no seasonal time changes.

4. Easy for regional travel and communication.

5. Reliable and predictable year-round timekeeping.

Cons

1. Limited overlap with business hours in the Americas.

2. Seasonal daylight changes are more noticeable without DST.