Labor force participation rate in Ghana
Ghana: Labor force participation rate was 58.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate in Ghana, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Ghana recorded 58.5% for labor force participation rate in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.9% on the previous year and down 15.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate in Ghana peaked at 73.1% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 58.5%, in 2025.
Ghana ranks 115th of 186 countries on this measure, 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 in Ghana, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 73.1% | — |
| 1991 | 73.1% | -0.0% |
| 1992 | 73.0% | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 72.9% | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 72.9% | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 72.8% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 72.7% | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 72.7% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 72.6% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 72.5% | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 72.5% | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 72.4% | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 72.4% | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 72.3% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 72.2% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 72.2% | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 72.1% | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 72.0% | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 72.0% | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 71.9% | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 71.8% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 71.8% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 71.7% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 71.7% | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 70.5% | -1.7% |
| 2015 | 69.3% | -1.7% |
| 2016 | 68.1% | -1.7% |
| 2017 | 66.9% | -1.8% |
| 2018 | 65.3% | -2.4% |
| 2019 | 63.7% | -2.4% |
| 2020 | 61.6% | -3.3% |
| 2021 | 60.4% | -2.0% |
| 2022 | 59.1% | -2.1% |
| 2023 | 59.1% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 59.1% | -0.0% |
| 2025 | 58.5% | -0.9% |
Ghana compared with similar countries
- Ghana's 58.5% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 57.7%, 1.0× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Ghana's 58.5% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 64.3%, 91% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 72.8% | 72.5% | 73.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 72.2% | 71.9% | 72.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 69.1% | 63.7% | 71.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 59.6% | 58.5% | 61.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
More work & labour data for Ghana
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.1512 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.1464 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.1562 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.2734 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.99 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 37,518 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 13,752 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 34,429 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 33,119 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 67,548 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate in Ghana?
- Labor force participation rate in Ghana was 58.5% 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 Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 73.1% in 1990.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 58.5% in 2025.
- How does Ghana rank for labor force participation rate?
- Ghana ranks 115th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ghana 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).