Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) was 66.7% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Sub-Saharan Africa stood at 66.7%.
The figure is up 1.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 68.6% in 2004 and was at its lowest, 62.7%, in 2020.
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 11th of 47 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 67.5% | — |
| 1991 | 67.8% | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 68.0% | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 68.2% | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 68.4% | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 68.6% | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 68.5% | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 68.5% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 68.4% | -0.0% |
| 1999 | 68.5% | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 68.5% | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 68.5% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 68.6% | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 68.6% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 68.6% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 68.6% | -0.0% |
| 2006 | 68.5% | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 68.3% | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 68.1% | -0.3% |
| 2009 | 67.8% | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 67.5% | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 67.6% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 66.9% | -1.0% |
| 2013 | 67.3% | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 66.5% | -1.1% |
| 2015 | 66.1% | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 65.7% | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 65.0% | -1.0% |
| 2018 | 64.5% | -0.8% |
| 2019 | 64.0% | -0.7% |
| 2020 | 62.7% | -2.0% |
| 2021 | 63.0% | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 63.6% | +0.9% |
| 2023 | 66.7% | +4.9% |
| 2024 | 66.8% | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 66.7% | -0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 68.2% | 67.5% | 68.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 68.4% | 67.8% | 68.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 66.1% | 64.0% | 67.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 64.9% | 62.7% | 66.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
More work & labour data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 70.23 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 564,978 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 239,462 (2027)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 5.73 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 2.92 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 1.5 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 11,723 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 3.04 % change on previous year (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 66.21 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 4,279 (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Sub-Saharan Africa was 66.7% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 68.6% in 2004.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 62.7% in 2020.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages)?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 11th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15-64 that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.