Labour dependency ratio in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Labour dependency ratio was 1.5 in 2027. ▬ Flat
Labour dependency ratio in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1991–2027
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
In 2027, labour dependency ratio in Sub-Saharan Africa stood at 1.5. That is the lowest value across all 37 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.9% on the previous year and down 7.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labour dependency ratio in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 1.67 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 1.5, in 2027.
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 27th of 87 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Labour dependency ratio in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 1.63 | — |
| 1992 | 1.62 | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 1.62 | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 1.6 | -0.7% |
| 1995 | 1.59 | -0.6% |
| 1996 | 1.59 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 1.59 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 1.59 | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 1.59 | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 1.59 | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 1.58 | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 1.58 | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 1.57 | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 1.57 | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 1.56 | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 1.57 | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 1.57 | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 1.57 | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 1.59 | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 1.6 | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 1.59 | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 1.6 | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 1.58 | -1.4% |
| 2014 | 1.6 | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 1.6 | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 1.61 | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 1.62 | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 1.62 | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 1.63 | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 1.67 | +2.7% |
| 2021 | 1.65 | -1.1% |
| 2022 | 1.6 | -3.3% |
| 2023 | 1.56 | -2.4% |
| 2024 | 1.54 | -1.0% |
| 2025 | 1.53 | -0.8% |
| 2026 | 1.52 | -0.8% |
| 2027 | 1.5 | -0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.6 | 1.59 | 1.63 | 9 |
| 2000s | 1.57 | 1.56 | 1.59 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.61 | 1.58 | 1.63 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.57 | 1.5 | 1.67 | 8 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
More work & labour data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 239,462 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 70.23 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 564,978 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 11,723 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 2.92 % change on previous year (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 4,279 (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)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 51.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 66.7% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labour dependency ratio in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Labour dependency ratio in Sub-Saharan Africa was 1.5 in 2027, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest labour dependency ratio recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 1.67 in 2020.
- What is the lowest labour dependency ratio recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.5 in 2027.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for labour dependency ratio?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 27th out of 87 groups with data for 2027.
- Is labour dependency ratio rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Labour dependency ratio (ILO modelled estimates). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 37 observations, free to reuse under ILO Terms of Use (attribution required).
About this data
Imputed observations are not based on national data, are subject to high uncertainty and should not be used for country comparisons or rankings. This series is based on the 13th ICLS definitions. This indicator provides the ratio of dependents (persons aged 0 to 14 + persons aged 15 and above that are either outside the labour force or unemployed) to total employment. For more information, refer to the ILO Modelled Estimates (ILOEST) database description.