Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) in Cameroon
Cameroon: Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) was 34.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) in Cameroon, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) in Cameroon stood at 34.2%. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.9% on the previous year and down 26.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) in Cameroon peaked at 71.3% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 34.2%, in 2025.
That places Cameroon 120th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) in Cameroon, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 71.3% | — |
| 1991 | 71.3% | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 71.3% | -0.0% |
| 1993 | 71.2% | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 71.0% | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 70.8% | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 70.5% | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 70.1% | -0.6% |
| 1998 | 69.7% | -0.6% |
| 1999 | 69.3% | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 69.0% | -0.4% |
| 2001 | 68.7% | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 68.3% | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 68.0% | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 67.7% | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 67.5% | -0.3% |
| 2006 | 67.4% | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 67.2% | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 63.9% | -4.9% |
| 2009 | 60.5% | -5.4% |
| 2010 | 56.9% | -5.9% |
| 2011 | 54.8% | -3.7% |
| 2012 | 52.7% | -3.8% |
| 2013 | 50.6% | -4.0% |
| 2014 | 48.5% | -4.2% |
| 2015 | 46.4% | -4.3% |
| 2016 | 44.5% | -4.2% |
| 2017 | 42.6% | -4.3% |
| 2018 | 40.6% | -4.5% |
| 2019 | 38.7% | -4.9% |
| 2020 | 36.5% | -5.6% |
| 2021 | 35.0% | -4.3% |
| 2022 | 34.9% | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 34.9% | -0.2% |
| 2024 | 34.8% | -0.2% |
| 2025 | 34.2% | -1.9% |
Cameroon compared with similar countries
- Cameroon's 34.2% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 34.2%, 100% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Cameroon's 34.2% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 38.1%, 90% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 70.6% | 69.3% | 71.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 66.8% | 60.5% | 69.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 47.6% | 38.7% | 56.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 35.0% | 34.2% | 36.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Cameroon
More work & labour data for Cameroon
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.5809 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.5736 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.588 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.1629 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 2.48 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 36,415 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 13,402 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 45,113 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 43,763 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 88,876 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) in Cameroon?
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) in Cameroon was 34.2% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) recorded in Cameroon?
- The highest recorded value was 71.3% in 1991.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) recorded in Cameroon?
- The lowest recorded value was 34.2% in 2025.
- How does Cameroon rank for labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%)?
- Cameroon ranks 120th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) rising or falling in Cameroon?
- Over the last ten years it is down 26.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Cameroon data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24 is the proportion of the population ages 15-24 that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.