SWIFT/BIC codes in Malawi

Finding a SWIFT code in Malawi

Here you will find the SWIFT/BIC codes of 19 banks in Malawi. You will need such a code mostly when making payments across borders and for payments in a foreign currency.

Search for the recipient’s bank below and open its page for all codes we have and the details a transfer needs. Below the list you can read how a code from Malawi is put together, how to send money to Malawi without overpaying and how to check a code before you pay.

Incoming international payments in Malawi

Someone abroad who wants to pay you will ask for a few details from you, and missing ones are a common cause of delays. That means: your name exactly as it appears on the account, your account number or IBAN, the SWIFT/BIC code of your bank and usually your postal address.

Look up the bank in the list on this page to check its code, but take the code from your own bank details when in doubt. It helps to include the name and city of your bank as well, since some payment forms ask for it.

Do not be surprised if the incoming amount is smaller than the amount on the sender’s receipt. Charges on incoming payments vary per bank – your bank’s price list tells you what applies. Make clear with the sender who covers the fees, especially for larger amounts.

Which bank in Malawi has the most codes?

National Bank of Malawi tops the list of Malawi banks when it comes to the number of SWIFT/BIC codes. The head office of National Bank of Malawi has NBMAMWMWXXX.

Practice differs in whether they register branch codes. Paying someone at National Bank of Malawi? Go with NBMAMWMWXXX unless a specific branch code is requested.

Transfer times to Malawi

There is no fixed answer for transfers to Malawi: some arrive the same day or the next while others need several business days. Transfers sent after the cut-off time or on weekends and holidays often start the next business day.

Many banks are connected to SWIFT gpi for faster and traceable payments. Every gpi transfer carries a unique transaction reference, the UETR, which the sending bank can use to trace it. Keep your transfer receipt until the money has arrived.

Sending money to Malawi for less

An international bank payment to Malawi often costs more than the fee suggests. Besides a fixed fee, correspondent banks may take a cut and, if currencies are converted, the bank usually applies a less favourable rate than the real market rate.

That exchange rate margin tends to be the biggest part of the cost. An easy check: put the rate you get next to the mid-market rate and look at the difference.

For a lot of currency pairs, a transfer service turns out to be less expensive than a bank, mainly because of the rate. GoldexPay compares what recipients in Malawi receive with different providers, so you can pick the cheapest route.

Recognising a SWIFT code from Malawi

A BIC is either 8 or 11 characters long. First comes four letters for the bank, then two letters for the country and two characters for the location.

In every code from Malawi, letters five and six are the two-letter ISO code of Malawi – that is the quickest way to spot one. A code with a different country code belong to another country.

The optional last three characters stand for a specific branch; XXX is used for the head office. Use a branch code only if the recipient’s bank asks for it – otherwise stick with the head office.

International payments to Malawi and the BIC

Since Malawi is outside SEPA, an international payment normally goes through SWIFT. That means the payment always needs the BIC of the recipient’s bank in addition to the account details.

Depending on the country, the account is identified by a local account number rather than an IBAN and sometimes a local routing or branch code. Ask the recipient which details their bank needs for payments from abroad – many banks give clear instructions for this. Before it arrives, a transfer may pass through intermediary banks that take a fee.

How reliable is this list?

The most reliable source for a SWIFT code is the bank details provided by the recipient – an invoice, a statement or a screenshot from online banking. When the code you were given does not match the code listed here, stop and ask – contact the recipient or their bank.

Our SWIFT/BIC directory is based on public sources that we update periodically. Institutions reorganise, close branches and retire codes – a directory can be a step behind. For any payment of any size, confirm the BIC with the recipient. GoldexPay is a comparison service.

Fraudsters regularly send fake invoices with new bank details that look completely genuine. Always verify changed details through a separate channel on a number you know.