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, 2000–2025
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
Sub-Saharan Africa: Lower-middle income recorded 257,043 for employment in 2025. That is the highest value across all 26 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, 128,334, in 2000.
Sub-Saharan Africa: Lower-middle income ranks 31st of 85 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 26 years of available data.
Employment in Sub-Saharan Africa: Lower-middle income, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 128,334 | — |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 73.41 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 103,063 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 284,510 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 70.16 (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 257,043 (2025)
- 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)
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 128,334 in 2000.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa: Lower-middle income rank for employment?
- Sub-Saharan Africa: Lower-middle income ranks 31st out of 85 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 (previous ILO definition - ICLS13). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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