Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) was 51.4% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) in Sub-Saharan Africa is 51.4%, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 0.1% on the previous year and down 3.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 62.3% in 1994 and was at its lowest, 49.8%, in 2020.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa 4th out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
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 Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 61.0% | — |
| 1991 | 61.5% | +0.7% |
| 1992 | 62.0% | +0.9% |
| 1993 | 62.2% | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 62.3% | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 62.3% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 62.1% | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 61.8% | -0.5% |
| 1998 | 61.4% | -0.6% |
| 1999 | 60.9% | -0.8% |
| 2000 | 60.3% | -1.0% |
| 2001 | 59.8% | -0.8% |
| 2002 | 59.4% | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 58.9% | -0.8% |
| 2004 | 58.5% | -0.7% |
| 2005 | 58.1% | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 57.5% | -1.0% |
| 2007 | 56.9% | -1.0% |
| 2008 | 56.3% | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 55.9% | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 55.3% | -1.2% |
| 2011 | 55.4% | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 54.4% | -1.9% |
| 2013 | 55.0% | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 53.8% | -2.1% |
| 2015 | 53.4% | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 52.9% | -1.0% |
| 2017 | 51.9% | -1.8% |
| 2018 | 51.2% | -1.4% |
| 2019 | 50.6% | -1.2% |
| 2020 | 49.8% | -1.6% |
| 2021 | 49.8% | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 50.4% | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 51.7% | +2.5% |
| 2024 | 51.4% | -0.5% |
| 2025 | 51.4% | -0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 61.7% | 60.9% | 62.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 58.2% | 55.9% | 60.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 53.4% | 50.6% | 55.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 50.7% | 49.8% | 51.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 1 Netherlands 83.3% compare
- 2 Iceland 82.1% compare
- 3 Korea, Democratic People's Republic of 78.5% compare
- 4 Madagascar 72.4% compare
- 5 Solomon Islands 70.8% compare
- 6 Niger 70.8% compare
- 7 Tanzania, United Republic of 70.7% compare
More work & labour data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 564,978 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 70.23 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 239,462 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 1.5 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 2.92 % change on previous year (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)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 11,723 (2027)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 86.9% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) in Sub-Saharan Africa was 51.4% 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 Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 62.3% in 1994.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 49.8% in 2020.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%)?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 4th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.8%. 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 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.