Employment rate in Ghana
Ghana: Employment rate was 56.8% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Employment rate in Ghana, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Ghana recorded 56.8% for employment rate in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
The figure is down 1.1% on the previous year and down 12.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment rate in Ghana peaked at 70.5% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 56.8%, in 2025.
Ghana ranks 97th of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Employment rate in Ghana, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 70.5% | — |
| 1992 | 69.6% | -1.3% |
| 1993 | 69.1% | -0.6% |
| 1994 | 68.6% | -0.8% |
| 1995 | 68.1% | -0.7% |
| 1996 | 67.6% | -0.7% |
| 1997 | 67.1% | -0.7% |
| 1998 | 66.7% | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 65.2% | -2.2% |
| 2000 | 64.9% | -0.5% |
| 2001 | 65.5% | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 66.1% | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 66.7% | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 67.3% | +1.0% |
| 2005 | 68.0% | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 68.6% | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 68.4% | -0.3% |
| 2008 | 68.3% | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 68.1% | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 68.0% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 68.8% | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 69.5% | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 70.1% | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 67.4% | -3.9% |
| 2015 | 64.5% | -4.2% |
| 2016 | 64.5% | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 64.6% | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 63.2% | -2.2% |
| 2019 | 61.8% | -2.3% |
| 2020 | 59.7% | -3.4% |
| 2021 | 58.5% | -2.0% |
| 2022 | 57.4% | -1.8% |
| 2023 | 57.4% | -0.0% |
| 2024 | 57.4% | -0.0% |
| 2025 | 56.8% | -1.1% |
Ghana compared with similar countries
- Ghana's 56.8% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 54.4%, 1.0× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Ghana's 56.8% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 58.8%, 97% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 68.0% | 65.2% | 70.5% | 9 |
| 2000s | 67.2% | 64.9% | 68.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 66.2% | 61.8% | 70.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 57.8% | 56.8% | 59.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
More work & labour data for Ghana
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.1512 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.1464 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.1562 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.2734 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.99 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 37,518 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 13,752 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 34,429 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 33,119 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 67,548 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment rate in Ghana?
- Employment rate in Ghana was 56.8% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest employment rate recorded in Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 70.5% in 1991.
- What is the lowest employment rate recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 56.8% in 2025.
- How does Ghana rank for employment rate?
- Ghana ranks 97th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment rate rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ghana data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Employment rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and older) who are employed.