Labor force participation rate in Benin
Benin: Labor force participation rate was 76.4% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force participation rate in Benin, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, labor force participation rate in Benin stood at 76.4%. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 3.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate in Benin peaked at 76.4% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 71.8%, in 2002.
That places Benin 16th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate in Benin, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 72.2% | — |
| 1991 | 72.2% | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 72.2% | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 72.1% | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 72.1% | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 72.0% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 72.0% | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 72.0% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 71.9% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 71.9% | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 71.8% | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 71.8% | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 71.8% | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 71.8% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 71.8% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 71.8% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 71.8% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 71.8% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 71.8% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 71.9% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 71.9% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 71.9% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 72.3% | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 72.7% | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 73.1% | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 73.5% | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 73.9% | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 74.3% | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 74.7% | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 75.1% | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 74.8% | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 76.1% | +1.7% |
| 2022 | 76.3% | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 76.3% | -0.0% |
| 2024 | 76.3% | -0.0% |
| 2025 | 76.4% | +0.1% |
Benin compared with similar countries
- Benin's 76.4% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 57.7%, 1.3× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Benin's 76.4% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 64.3%, 1.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 72.0% | 71.9% | 72.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 71.8% | 71.8% | 71.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 73.3% | 71.9% | 75.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 76.0% | 74.8% | 76.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Benin
More work & labour data for Benin
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.4203 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.395 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.4457 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.3247 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 2.72 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 15,661 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 8,269 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 19,967 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 19,620 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 39,588 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate in Benin?
- Labor force participation rate in Benin was 76.4% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest labor force participation rate recorded in Benin?
- The highest recorded value was 76.4% in 2025.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate recorded in Benin?
- The lowest recorded value was 71.8% in 2002.
- How does Benin rank for labor force participation rate?
- Benin ranks 16th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate rising or falling in Benin?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Benin data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Labor force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).