Employment in services (% of total employment) in Uganda
Uganda: Employment in services (% of total employment) was 27.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Employment in services (% of total employment) in Uganda, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, employment in services (% of total employment) in Uganda stood at 27.9%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.8% on the previous year and up 30.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in services (% of total employment) in Uganda peaked at 30.9% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 18.3%, in 1991.
That places Uganda 177th out of 187 countries 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 services (% of total employment) in Uganda, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 18.3% | — |
| 1992 | 18.3% | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 18.7% | +2.4% |
| 1994 | 18.9% | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 19.6% | +3.4% |
| 1996 | 20.1% | +2.9% |
| 1997 | 20.4% | +1.2% |
| 1998 | 20.6% | +1.2% |
| 1999 | 21.1% | +2.3% |
| 2000 | 21.2% | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 21.5% | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 22.2% | +3.0% |
| 2003 | 22.4% | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 21.7% | -3.1% |
| 2005 | 21.0% | -3.5% |
| 2006 | 20.8% | -1.0% |
| 2007 | 20.3% | -2.4% |
| 2008 | 19.7% | -2.7% |
| 2009 | 19.1% | -2.9% |
| 2010 | 25.2% | +31.9% |
| 2011 | 23.7% | -6.1% |
| 2012 | 24.0% | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 19.5% | -18.5% |
| 2014 | 21.3% | +8.8% |
| 2015 | 21.4% | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 21.6% | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 21.7% | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 26.0% | +19.9% |
| 2019 | 30.9% | +18.8% |
| 2020 | 27.9% | -9.7% |
| 2021 | 26.2% | -6.0% |
| 2022 | 26.5% | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 26.9% | +1.6% |
| 2024 | 27.4% | +1.6% |
| 2025 | 27.9% | +1.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 19.6% | 18.3% | 21.1% | 9 |
| 2000s | 21.0% | 19.1% | 22.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.5% | 19.5% | 30.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 27.1% | 26.2% | 27.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Uganda
- 174 Afghanistan 29.5% compare
- 175 Guinea-Bissau 29.2% compare
- 176 Mali 28.4% compare
- 178 Malawi 27.7% compare
- 179 Tanzania, United Republic of 27.3% compare
- 180 Lao People's Democratic Republic 24.0% compare
More work & labour data for Uganda
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.0339 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.0408 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.0266 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 1.02 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 3.77 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 46,664 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 59,035 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 60,822 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 60,013 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 120,835 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment in services (% of total employment) in Uganda?
- Employment in services (% of total employment) in Uganda was 27.9% 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 Uganda?
- The highest recorded value was 30.9% in 2019.
- What is the lowest employment in services (% of total employment) recorded in Uganda?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.3% in 1991.
- How does Uganda rank for employment in services (% of total employment)?
- Uganda ranks 177th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment in services (% of total employment) rising or falling in Uganda?
- Over the last ten years it is up 30.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Uganda 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).