Labor force participation rate in Benin

Benin: Labor force participation rate was 76.4% in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)
76.4%
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
16th
of 186 countries
All-time high
76.4%
in 2025
All-time low
71.8%
in 2002
Years of data
36
1990–2025

Labor force participation rate in Benin, 1990–2025

0204060801990200720251990: 72.2 %1991: 72.2 %1992: 72.2 %1993: 72.1 %1994: 72.1 %1995: 72 %1996: 72 %1997: 72 %1998: 71.9 %1999: 71.9 %2000: 71.8 %2001: 71.8 %2002: 71.8 %2003: 71.8 %2004: 71.8 %2005: 71.8 %2006: 71.8 %2007: 71.8 %2008: 71.8 %2009: 71.9 %2010: 71.9 %2011: 71.9 %2012: 72.3 %2013: 72.7 %2014: 73.1 %2015: 73.5 %2016: 73.9 %2017: 74.3 %2018: 74.7 %2019: 75.1 %2020: 74.8 %2021: 76.1 %2022: 76.3 %2023: 76.3 %2024: 76.3 %2025: 76.4 %

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.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest 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

  1. 13 Eritrea 78.3% compare
  2. 14 Burundi 78.3% compare
  3. 15 Liberia 76.6% compare
  4. 17 Iceland 74.9% compare
  5. 18 Angola 74.8% compare
  6. 19 Bahamas 73.8% compare

See the full ranking of 186 places →

More work & labour data for Benin

All data for Benin →

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

Indicator
Labor force participation rate
Unit
%
Source
ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
186 places, 6,682 data points, 1990–2025
Last refreshed

Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).