Informal employment in Africa
Africa: Informal employment was 512,061 in 2027. ▲ Rising
Informal employment in Africa, 2004–2027
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
The most recent figure for informal employment in Africa is 512,061, measured in 2027. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.6% on the previous year and up 33.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, informal employment in Africa peaked at 512,061 in 2027 and was at its lowest, 286,912, in 2004.
That places Africa 15th out of 87 groups with data for 2027, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Informal employment in Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 286,912 | — |
| 2005 | 294,729 | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 302,466 | +2.6% |
| 2007 | 310,186 | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 317,276 | +2.3% |
| 2009 | 324,636 | +2.3% |
| 2010 | 331,587 | +2.1% |
| 2011 | 339,449 | +2.4% |
| 2012 | 343,812 | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 355,690 | +3.5% |
| 2014 | 361,579 | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 369,351 | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 377,499 | +2.2% |
| 2017 | 384,984 | +2.0% |
| 2018 | 394,312 | +2.4% |
| 2019 | 404,052 | +2.5% |
| 2020 | 407,640 | +0.9% |
| 2021 | 426,028 | +4.5% |
| 2022 | 444,546 | +4.3% |
| 2023 | 462,415 | +4.0% |
| 2024 | 474,001 | +2.5% |
| 2025 | 486,059 | +2.5% |
| 2026 | 499,027 | +2.7% |
| 2027 | 512,061 | +2.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 306,034 | 286,912 | 324,636 | 6 |
| 2010s | 366,232 | 331,587 | 404,052 | 10 |
| 2020s | 463,972 | 407,640 | 512,061 | 8 |
More work & labour data for Africa
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 3.81 million 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.3661 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 1.49 million 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 1.04 million 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 1.93 million 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 1.89 million 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 2.68 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.3537 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.3781 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.4458 % change on previous year (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is informal employment in Africa?
- Informal employment in Africa was 512,061 in 2027, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest informal employment recorded in Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 512,061 in 2027.
- What is the lowest informal employment recorded in Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 286,912 in 2004.
- How does Africa rank for informal employment?
- Africa ranks 15th out of 87 groups with data for 2027.
- Is informal employment rising or falling in Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 33.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Africa data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Informal employment (ILO modelled estimates). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under ILO Terms of Use (attribution required).
About this data
Imputed observations are not based on national data, are subject to high uncertainty and should not be used for country comparisons or rankings. This series is based on the 13th ICLS definitions. Informal employment comprises persons who in their main or secondary jobs were (a) own-account workers, employers and members of producers' cooperatives employed in their own informal sector enterprises; (b) own-account workers engaged in the production of goods exclusively for own final use by their household (e.g. subsistence farming); (c) contributing family workers, regardless of whether they work in formal or informal sector enterprises; or (d) employees holding informal jobs, whether employed by formal sector enterprises, informal sector enterprises, or as paid domestic workers by households. For more information, refer to the ILO Modelled Estimates (ILOEST) database description.