Informal employment in Western Africa
Western Africa: Informal employment was 189,995 in 2027. ▲ Rising
Informal employment in Western Africa, 2004–2027
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
The most recent figure for informal employment in Western Africa is 189,995, 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 33.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, informal employment in Western Africa peaked at 189,995 in 2027 and was at its lowest, 107,463, in 2004.
Western Africa ranks 29th of 87 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Informal employment in Western Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 107,463 | — |
| 2005 | 110,062 | +2.4% |
| 2006 | 112,859 | +2.5% |
| 2007 | 115,695 | +2.5% |
| 2008 | 118,510 | +2.4% |
| 2009 | 121,268 | +2.3% |
| 2010 | 123,531 | +1.9% |
| 2011 | 126,078 | +2.1% |
| 2012 | 128,467 | +1.9% |
| 2013 | 132,025 | +2.8% |
| 2014 | 134,377 | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 137,063 | +2.0% |
| 2016 | 139,579 | +1.8% |
| 2017 | 142,432 | +2.0% |
| 2018 | 145,268 | +2.0% |
| 2019 | 148,479 | +2.2% |
| 2020 | 150,279 | +1.2% |
| 2021 | 157,556 | +4.8% |
| 2022 | 164,484 | +4.4% |
| 2023 | 171,457 | +4.2% |
| 2024 | 176,182 | +2.8% |
| 2025 | 180,360 | +2.4% |
| 2026 | 185,132 | +2.6% |
| 2027 | 189,995 | +2.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 114,310 | 107,463 | 121,268 | 6 |
| 2010s | 135,730 | 123,531 | 148,479 | 10 |
| 2020s | 171,931 | 150,279 | 189,995 | 8 |
More work & labour data for Western Africa
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 1.07 million 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 2.78 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.6577 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.245 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.1926 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.2192 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 537,547 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 293,084 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 516,634 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 532,234 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is informal employment in Western Africa?
- Informal employment in Western Africa was 189,995 in 2027, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest informal employment recorded in Western Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 189,995 in 2027.
- What is the lowest informal employment recorded in Western Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 107,463 in 2004.
- How does Western Africa rank for informal employment?
- Western Africa ranks 29th out of 87 groups with data for 2027.
- Is informal employment rising or falling in Western Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 33.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Western 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.