Employment in Sub-Saharan Africa: Lower-middle income
Sub-Saharan Africa: Lower-middle income: Employment was 257,043 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Employment in Sub-Saharan Africa: Lower-middle income, 1991–2025
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
In 2025, employment in Sub-Saharan Africa: Lower-middle income stood at 257,043. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
The figure is up 2.9% on the previous year and up 34.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in Sub-Saharan Africa: Lower-middle income peaked at 257,043 in 2025 and was at its lowest, 97,696, in 1991.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa: Lower-middle income 33rd out of 87 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Employment in Sub-Saharan Africa: Lower-middle income, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 97,696 | — |
| 1992 | 100,898 | +3.3% |
| 1993 | 104,183 | +3.3% |
| 1994 | 107,965 | +3.6% |
| 1995 | 111,454 | +3.2% |
| 1996 | 114,631 | +2.9% |
| 1997 | 117,921 | +2.9% |
| 1998 | 121,428 | +3.0% |
| 1999 | 124,813 | +2.8% |
| 2000 | 128,334 | +2.8% |
| 2001 | 132,004 | +2.9% |
| 2002 | 135,902 | +3.0% |
| 2003 | 139,737 | +2.8% |
| 2004 | 143,731 | +2.9% |
| 2005 | 147,617 | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 151,849 | +2.9% |
| 2007 | 155,936 | +2.7% |
| 2008 | 159,931 | +2.6% |
| 2009 | 163,875 | +2.5% |
| 2010 | 167,706 | +2.3% |
| 2011 | 172,220 | +2.7% |
| 2012 | 177,230 | +2.9% |
| 2013 | 182,341 | +2.9% |
| 2014 | 186,895 | +2.5% |
| 2015 | 191,561 | +2.5% |
| 2016 | 197,471 | +3.1% |
| 2017 | 201,794 | +2.2% |
| 2018 | 206,602 | +2.4% |
| 2019 | 211,597 | +2.4% |
| 2020 | 213,424 | +0.9% |
| 2021 | 222,245 | +4.1% |
| 2022 | 232,414 | +4.6% |
| 2023 | 242,505 | +4.3% |
| 2024 | 249,825 | +3.0% |
| 2025 | 257,043 | +2.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 111,221 | 97,696 | 124,813 | 9 |
| 2000s | 145,892 | 128,334 | 163,875 | 10 |
| 2010s | 189,542 | 167,706 | 211,597 | 10 |
| 2020s | 236,243 | 213,424 | 257,043 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa: Lower-middle income
More work & labour data for Sub-Saharan Africa: Lower-middle income
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 284,510 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 73.41 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 103,063 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 3.16 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 2.87 % change on previous year (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 70.16 (2027)
- Employment (ILO modelled estimates) 257,043 (2025)
- Employment (ILO modelled estimates), annual growth rate 2.89 % change on previous year (2025)
- Employment (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 2.89 % change on previous year (2025)
- Labour force participation rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) 73.41 (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment in Sub-Saharan Africa: Lower-middle income?
- Employment in Sub-Saharan Africa: Lower-middle income was 257,043 in 2025, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest employment recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa: Lower-middle income?
- The highest recorded value was 257,043 in 2025.
- What is the lowest employment recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa: Lower-middle income?
- The lowest recorded value was 97,696 in 1991.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa: Lower-middle income rank for employment?
- Sub-Saharan Africa: Lower-middle income ranks 33rd out of 87 groups with data for 2025.
- Is employment rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa: Lower-middle income?
- Over the last ten years it is up 34.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa: Lower-middle income data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Employment (ILO modelled estimates). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under ILO Terms of Use (attribution required).
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 economic activity are provided according to the latest version of the International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (ISIC) available for that year. Data may have been regrouped from national classifications, which may not be strictly compatible with ISIC. For more information, refer to the ILO Modelled Estimates (ILOEST) database description.