Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) was 70.3% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Sub-Saharan Africa recorded 70.3% for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in 2025.
The figure is down 0.1% on the previous year and down 0.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 73.7% in 1995 and was at its lowest, 67.9%, in 2020.
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 2nd of 47 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 73.1% | — |
| 1991 | 73.2% | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 73.4% | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 73.5% | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 73.6% | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 73.7% | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 73.7% | -0.0% |
| 1997 | 73.6% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 73.6% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 73.5% | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 73.4% | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 73.4% | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 73.3% | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 73.3% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 73.2% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 73.1% | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 72.9% | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 72.8% | -0.3% |
| 2008 | 72.5% | -0.3% |
| 2009 | 72.2% | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 71.8% | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 71.9% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 71.3% | -0.8% |
| 2013 | 71.6% | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 71.0% | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 70.6% | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 70.3% | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 69.7% | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 69.4% | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 69.1% | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 67.9% | -1.7% |
| 2021 | 68.1% | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 68.6% | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 70.4% | +2.6% |
| 2024 | 70.4% | -0.0% |
| 2025 | 70.3% | -0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 73.5% | 73.1% | 73.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 73.0% | 72.2% | 73.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 70.7% | 69.1% | 71.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 69.3% | 67.9% | 70.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 1 Qatar 87.0% compare
- 2 Madagascar 85.5% compare
- 3 Solomon Islands 84.3% compare
- 4 Tanzania, United Republic of 83.7% compare
- 5 Nigeria 82.5% compare
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, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Sub-Saharan Africa was 70.3% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 73.7% in 1995.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 67.9% in 2020.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+)?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 2nd out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.4%. 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, total (% of total population ages 15+) (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 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.