Informal employment in Zambia
Zambia: Informal employment was 59.8% in 2024. ▬ Flat
Informal employment in Zambia, 2017–2024
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO). Measured in % of total non-agricultural employment.
Analysis
In 2024, informal employment in Zambia stood at 59.8%. That is the lowest value across all 8 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.7% on the previous year and down 5.6% over ten years.
Zambia ranks 5th of 45 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
Informal employment in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % of total non-agricultural employment | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 63.3% | — |
| 2018 | 62.8% | -0.9% |
| 2019 | 67.5% | +7.5% |
| 2020 | 65.8% | -2.4% |
| 2021 | 69.3% | +5.3% |
| 2022 | 68.9% | -0.6% |
| 2023 | 64.1% | -7.0% |
| 2024 | 59.8% | -6.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 64.5% | 62.8% | 67.5% | 3 |
| 2020s | 65.6% | 59.8% | 69.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More work & labour data for Zambia
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.5254 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.5224 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.5281 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.7611 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 3.24 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 25,577 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 15,424 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 32,895 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 31,579 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 64,474 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is informal employment in Zambia?
- Informal employment in Zambia was 59.8% in 2024, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest informal employment recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 69.3% in 2021.
- What is the lowest informal employment recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 59.8% in 2024.
- How does Zambia rank for informal employment?
- Zambia ranks 5th out of 45 countries with data for 2024.
- Is informal employment rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Informal employment (% of total non-agricultural employment). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
This indicator shows the share of workers at working age in informal employment in non-agricultural activities out of total employment in non-agricultural activities, expressed as a percentage. Informal employment comprises workers whose main or secondary jobs are informal. For own-account workers and employers, informality is determined by enterprise characteristics (unincorporated, market-based, and unregistered); for contributing family workers, it is determined by the absence of written contracts and lack of coverage under labor legislation; and for employees, it is determined by whether the employment relationship is not subject to national labor legislation, income taxation, or social protection. The data are based on the statistical standards adopted by the 19th International Conference of Labour Statisticians (ICLS).