LU3: Combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Sub-Saharan Africa: Upper-middle income

Sub-Saharan Africa: Upper-middle income: LU3: Combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force was 40.69 in 2027. ▲ Rising

Latest (2027)
40.69
Change on year
up 0.3%
Rank
2nd
of 87 groups
All-time high
42.65
in 2021
All-time low
28.4
in 2007
Years of data
24
2004–2027

LU3: Combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Sub-Saharan Africa: Upper-middle income, 2004–2027

0102030402004201520272004: 29.12005: 28.82006: 28.52007: 28.42008: 28.52009: 30.92010: 33.52011: 33.82012: 33.82013: 33.52014: 33.52015: 33.12016: 34.32017: 34.52018: 35.12019: 36.32020: 39.72021: 42.72022: 41.42023: 39.32024: 39.72025: 40.52026: 40.62027: 40.7

Source: International Labour Organization.

Analysis

The most recent figure for lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Sub-Saharan Africa: Upper-middle income is 40.69, measured in 2027.

That represents a change of up 0.3% on the previous year and up 17.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Sub-Saharan Africa: Upper-middle income peaked at 42.65 in 2021 and was at its lowest, 28.4, in 2007.

That places Sub-Saharan Africa: Upper-middle income 2nd out of 87 groups with data for 2027, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.

LU3: Combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Sub-Saharan Africa: Upper-middle income, year by year

Annual values for LU3: Combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force (ILO modelled estimates) in Sub-Saharan Africa: Upper-middle income, 2004 to 2027.
Year Value Change
2004 29.05
2005 28.85 -0.7%
2006 28.54 -1.1%
2007 28.4 -0.5%
2008 28.47 +0.2%
2009 30.87 +8.4%
2010 33.53 +8.6%
2011 33.78 +0.8%
2012 33.76 -0.1%
2013 33.45 -0.9%
2014 33.48 +0.1%
2015 33.07 -1.2%
2016 34.27 +3.6%
2017 34.53 +0.8%
2018 35.08 +1.6%
2019 36.34 +3.6%
2020 39.69 +9.2%
2021 42.65 +7.5%
2022 41.36 -3.0%
2023 39.34 -4.9%
2024 39.7 +0.9%
2025 40.48 +1.9%
2026 40.58 +0.3%
2027 40.69 +0.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 29.03 28.4 30.87 6
2010s 34.13 33.07 36.34 10
2020s 40.56 39.34 42.65 8

More work & labour data for Sub-Saharan Africa: Upper-middle income

All data for Sub-Saharan Africa: Upper-middle income →

Frequently asked questions

What is lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Sub-Saharan Africa: Upper-middle income?
Lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Sub-Saharan Africa: Upper-middle income was 40.69 in 2027, according to International Labour Organization.
What is the highest lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa: Upper-middle income?
The highest recorded value was 42.65 in 2021.
What is the lowest lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa: Upper-middle income?
The lowest recorded value was 28.4 in 2007.
How does Sub-Saharan Africa: Upper-middle income rank for lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force?
Sub-Saharan Africa: Upper-middle income ranks 2nd out of 87 groups with data for 2027.
Is lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa: Upper-middle income?
Over the last ten years it is up 17.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa: Upper-middle income data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of LU3: Combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force (ILO modelled estimates). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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LU3: Combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Sub-Saharan Africa: Upper-middle income. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization. Retrieved 17 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/lu3-combined-rate-of-unemployment-and-potential-labour-force-ilo-modelled-estimates/sub-saharan-africa-upper-middle-income/

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About this data

Indicator
LU3: Combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force (ILO modelled estimates)
Source
International Labour Organization
Licence
ILO Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
87 places, 2,088 data points, 2004–2027
Last refreshed

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. LU3 represents the share of the extended labour force that are in unemployment or the potential labour force. For more information, refer to the ILO Modelled Estimates (ILOEST) database description.