Employment (ILO modelled estimates) in Africa: Lower-middle income
Africa: Lower-middle income: Employment (ILO modelled estimates) was 306,061 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Employment (ILO modelled estimates) in Africa: Lower-middle income, 1991–2025
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
Africa: Lower-middle income recorded 306,061 for employment (ilo modelled estimates) in 2025. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
The figure is up 2.7% on the previous year and up 31.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment (ilo modelled estimates) in Africa: Lower-middle income peaked at 306,061 in 2025 and was at its lowest, 121,667, in 1991.
Africa: Lower-middle income ranks 29th of 87 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Employment (ILO modelled estimates) in Africa: Lower-middle income, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 121,667 | — |
| 1992 | 125,776 | +3.4% |
| 1993 | 129,625 | +3.1% |
| 1994 | 134,454 | +3.7% |
| 1995 | 138,300 | +2.9% |
| 1996 | 142,434 | +3.0% |
| 1997 | 146,317 | +2.7% |
| 1998 | 150,490 | +2.9% |
| 1999 | 155,283 | +3.2% |
| 2000 | 158,907 | +2.3% |
| 2001 | 162,889 | +2.5% |
| 2002 | 166,638 | +2.3% |
| 2003 | 171,443 | +2.9% |
| 2004 | 176,919 | +3.2% |
| 2005 | 181,906 | +2.8% |
| 2006 | 187,717 | +3.2% |
| 2007 | 193,523 | +3.1% |
| 2008 | 198,157 | +2.4% |
| 2009 | 202,819 | +2.4% |
| 2010 | 208,161 | +2.6% |
| 2011 | 211,968 | +1.8% |
| 2012 | 217,300 | +2.5% |
| 2013 | 223,004 | +2.6% |
| 2014 | 228,134 | +2.3% |
| 2015 | 232,740 | +2.0% |
| 2016 | 239,169 | +2.8% |
| 2017 | 243,211 | +1.7% |
| 2018 | 248,482 | +2.2% |
| 2019 | 254,231 | +2.3% |
| 2020 | 255,415 | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 266,341 | +4.3% |
| 2022 | 277,527 | +4.2% |
| 2023 | 289,794 | +4.4% |
| 2024 | 297,947 | +2.8% |
| 2025 | 306,061 | +2.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 138,261 | 121,667 | 155,283 | 9 |
| 2000s | 180,092 | 158,907 | 202,819 | 10 |
| 2010s | 230,640 | 208,161 | 254,231 | 10 |
| 2020s | 282,181 | 255,415 | 306,061 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Africa: Lower-middle income
More work & labour data for Africa: Lower-middle income
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 339,672 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 66.36 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 172,199 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 63.04 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 2.71 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 2.69 % change on previous year (2027)
- Employment 306,061 (2025)
- Labour force participation rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) 66.36 (2027)
- NEET: Youth not in employment, education or training 33,216 (2027)
- Time-related underemployment (ILO modelled estimates) 27,539 (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment (ilo modelled estimates) in Africa: Lower-middle income?
- Employment (ilo modelled estimates) in Africa: Lower-middle income was 306,061 in 2025, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest employment (ilo modelled estimates) recorded in Africa: Lower-middle income?
- The highest recorded value was 306,061 in 2025.
- What is the lowest employment (ilo modelled estimates) recorded in Africa: Lower-middle income?
- The lowest recorded value was 121,667 in 1991.
- How does Africa: Lower-middle income rank for employment (ilo modelled estimates)?
- Africa: Lower-middle income ranks 29th out of 87 groups with data for 2025.
- Is employment (ilo modelled estimates) rising or falling in Africa: Lower-middle income?
- Over the last ten years it is up 31.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Africa: Lower-middle income data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Employment (ILO modelled estimates) (15+). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Imputed observations are not based on national data, are subject to high uncertainty and should not be used for country comparisons or rankings. This series is based on the 13th ICLS definitions. The employed comprise all persons of working age who, during a specified brief period, were in one of the following categories: a) paid employment (whether at work or with a job but not at work); or b) self-employment (whether at work or with an enterprise but not at work). Data disaggregated by status in employment are provided according to the latest version of the International Standard Classification of Status in Employment (ICSE-93). Data may have been regrouped from the national classifications, which may not be strictly compatible with ICSE. For more information, refer to the ILO Modelled Estimates (ILOEST) database description.