Employment in industry, female (% of female employment) in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Employment in industry, female (% of female employment) was 9.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Employment in industry, female (% of female employment) in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for employment in industry, female (% of female employment) in Sub-Saharan Africa is 9.2%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 12.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in industry, female (% of female employment) in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 9.2% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 7.9%, in 2019.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa 38th out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Employment in industry, female (% of female employment) in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 8.4% | — |
| 1992 | 8.4% | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 8.3% | -1.1% |
| 1994 | 8.2% | -1.0% |
| 1995 | 8.2% | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 8.2% | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 8.2% | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 8.1% | -0.4% |
| 1999 | 8.1% | -0.7% |
| 2000 | 8.0% | -1.3% |
| 2001 | 8.0% | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 8.1% | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 8.0% | -0.6% |
| 2004 | 8.1% | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 8.0% | -0.6% |
| 2006 | 8.0% | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 8.0% | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 8.0% | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 8.1% | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 8.1% | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 8.1% | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 8.3% | +2.3% |
| 2013 | 8.5% | +1.7% |
| 2014 | 8.3% | -1.5% |
| 2015 | 8.2% | -1.5% |
| 2016 | 8.0% | -2.5% |
| 2017 | 8.1% | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 8.0% | -1.0% |
| 2019 | 7.9% | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 8.2% | +3.6% |
| 2021 | 8.3% | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 9.1% | +9.0% |
| 2023 | 9.1% | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 9.2% | +1.1% |
| 2025 | 9.2% | +0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 8.2% | 8.1% | 8.4% | 9 |
| 2000s | 8.0% | 8.0% | 8.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.2% | 7.9% | 8.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.9% | 8.2% | 9.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
More work & labour data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 70.23 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 564,978 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 239,462 (2027)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 5.73 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 2.92 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 1.5 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 11,723 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 3.04 % change on previous year (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 66.21 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 4,279 (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment in industry, female (% of female employment) in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Employment in industry, female (% of female employment) in Sub-Saharan Africa was 9.2% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest employment in industry, female (% of female employment) recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 9.2% in 2025.
- What is the lowest employment in industry, female (% of female employment) recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.9% in 2019.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for employment in industry, female (% of female employment)?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 38th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is employment in industry, female (% of female employment) rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Employment in industry, female (% of female employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Employment is defined as persons of working age who were engaged in any activity to produce goods or provide services for pay or profit, whether at work during the reference period or not at work due to temporary absence from a job, or to working-time arrangement. The industry sector consists of mining and quarrying, manufacturing, construction, and public utilities (electricity, gas, and water), in accordance with divisions 2-5 (ISIC 2) or categories C-F (ISIC 3) or categories B-F (ISIC 4).