Employment in services (% of total employment) in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income): Employment in services (% of total employment) was 38.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Employment in services (% of total employment) in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income), 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for employment in services (% of total employment) in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) is 38.5%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
The figure is up 1.1% on the previous year and up 8.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in services (% of total employment) in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) peaked at 38.5% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 28.9%, in 1992.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) 35th out of 47 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 services (% of total employment) in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 29.2% | — |
| 1992 | 28.9% | -0.8% |
| 1993 | 29.0% | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 29.0% | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 29.1% | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 29.3% | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 29.5% | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 29.6% | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 29.8% | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 29.9% | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 30.0% | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 29.9% | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 30.1% | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 30.4% | +1.0% |
| 2005 | 30.7% | +1.0% |
| 2006 | 31.1% | +1.3% |
| 2007 | 31.5% | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 32.0% | +1.3% |
| 2009 | 32.4% | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 33.2% | +2.5% |
| 2011 | 33.7% | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 34.2% | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 34.2% | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 34.9% | +1.9% |
| 2015 | 35.4% | +1.5% |
| 2016 | 35.9% | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 36.4% | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 37.2% | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 38.1% | +2.5% |
| 2020 | 36.6% | -4.1% |
| 2021 | 36.5% | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 37.1% | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 37.5% | +1.0% |
| 2024 | 38.1% | +1.6% |
| 2025 | 38.5% | +1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 29.3% | 28.9% | 29.8% | 9 |
| 2000s | 30.8% | 29.9% | 32.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 35.3% | 33.2% | 38.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 37.4% | 36.5% | 38.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
- 32 New Caledonia 77.6% compare
- 33 Spain 76.8% compare
- 34 Lebanon 76.4% compare
- 35 Saint Lucia 76.3% compare
- 36 Finland 75.7% compare
- 37 Mauritius 74.7% compare
- 38 New Zealand 74.6% compare
More work & labour data for Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 53.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 70.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 75.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 49.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 51.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 76.5% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 86.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 65.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 66.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 71.6% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment in services (% of total employment) in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- Employment in services (% of total employment) in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) was 38.5% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest employment in services (% of total employment) recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- The highest recorded value was 38.5% in 2025.
- What is the lowest employment in services (% of total employment) recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- The lowest recorded value was 28.9% in 1992.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) rank for employment in services (% of total employment)?
- Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) ranks 35th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is employment in services (% of total employment) rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Employment in services (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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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 services sector consists of wholesale and retail trade and restaurants and hotels; transport, storage, and communications; financing, insurance, real estate, and business services; and community, social, and personal services, in accordance with divisions 6-9 (ISIC 2) or categories G-Q (ISIC 3) or categories G-U (ISIC 4).