LU4: Composite measure of labour underutilization in Africa: Lower-middle income

Africa: Lower-middle income: LU4: Composite measure of labour underutilization was 68,142 in 2027. ▲ Rising

Latest (2027)
68,142
Change on year
up 2.9%
Rank
22nd
of 87 groups
All-time high
68,142
in 2027
All-time low
40,590
in 2005
Years of data
23
2005–2027

LU4: Composite measure of labour underutilization in Africa: Lower-middle income, 2005–2027

020.0k40.0k60.0k2005201620272005: 40.6k2006: 40.8k2007: 41.1k2008: 41.9k2009: 43.5k2010: 45.1k2011: 47.8k2012: 48.8k2013: 49.6k2014: 51.2k2015: 53.7k2016: 55.3k2017: 56.3k2018: 57.6k2019: 58.7k2020: 64.2k2021: 63.6k2022: 62.1k2023: 60.7k2024: 62.6k2025: 64.4k2026: 66.2k2027: 68.1k

Source: International Labour Organization.

Analysis

The most recent figure for lu4: composite measure of labour underutilization in Africa: Lower-middle income is 68,142, measured in 2027. That is the highest value across all 23 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.9% on the previous year and up 21.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, lu4: composite measure of labour underutilization in Africa: Lower-middle income peaked at 68,142 in 2027 and was at its lowest, 40,590, in 2005.

Africa: Lower-middle income ranks 22nd of 87 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 23 years of available data.

LU4: Composite measure of labour underutilization in Africa: Lower-middle income, year by year

Annual values for LU4: Composite measure of labour underutilization in Africa: Lower-middle income, 2005 to 2027.
Year Value Change
2005 40,590
2006 40,755 +0.4%
2007 41,050 +0.7%
2008 41,940 +2.2%
2009 43,539 +3.8%
2010 45,066 +3.5%
2011 47,800 +6.1%
2012 48,804 +2.1%
2013 49,555 +1.5%
2014 51,179 +3.3%
2015 53,704 +4.9%
2016 55,342 +3.1%
2017 56,339 +1.8%
2018 57,585 +2.2%
2019 58,733 +2.0%
2020 64,164 +9.2%
2021 63,575 -0.9%
2022 62,084 -2.3%
2023 60,663 -2.3%
2024 62,644 +3.3%
2025 64,387 +2.8%
2026 66,235 +2.9%
2027 68,142 +2.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 41,575 40,590 43,539 5
2010s 52,411 45,066 58,733 10
2020s 63,987 60,663 68,142 8

Countries ranked near Africa: Lower-middle income

  1. 19 Canada 2,012 compare
  2. 20 Viet Nam 1,817 compare
  3. 21 Afghanistan 1,688 compare
  4. 22 Zimbabwe 1,657 compare
  5. 23 Zambia 1,601 compare
  6. 24 Netherlands 1,251 compare
  7. 25 Sweden 1,073 compare

See the full ranking of 166 places →

More work & labour data for Africa: Lower-middle income

All data for Africa: Lower-middle income →

Frequently asked questions

What is lu4: composite measure of labour underutilization in Africa: Lower-middle income?
Lu4: composite measure of labour underutilization in Africa: Lower-middle income was 68,142 in 2027, according to International Labour Organization.
What is the highest lu4: composite measure of labour underutilization recorded in Africa: Lower-middle income?
The highest recorded value was 68,142 in 2027.
What is the lowest lu4: composite measure of labour underutilization recorded in Africa: Lower-middle income?
The lowest recorded value was 40,590 in 2005.
How does Africa: Lower-middle income rank for lu4: composite measure of labour underutilization?
Africa: Lower-middle income ranks 22nd out of 87 groups with data for 2027.
Is lu4: composite measure of labour underutilization rising or falling in Africa: Lower-middle income?
Over the last ten years it is up 21.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Africa: Lower-middle income data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of LU4: Composite measure of labour underutilization. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 23 observations, free to reuse under ILO Terms of Use (attribution required).

Share, cite or embed this page

Cite this page

LU4: Composite measure of labour underutilization in Africa: Lower-middle income. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization. Retrieved 07 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/lu4-composite-measure-of-labour-underutilization/africa-lower-middle-income/

Embed or link this data

Paste this into a page to link back to these figures. The data itself is free to reuse under ILO Terms of Use (attribution required); please keep the attribution.

<a href="https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/lu4-composite-measure-of-labour-underutilization/africa-lower-middle-income/">LU4: Composite measure of labour underutilization in Africa: Lower-middle income</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
LU4: Composite measure of labour underutilization
Source
International Labour Organization
Licence
ILO Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
166 places, 3,284 data points, 1991–2027
Last refreshed

With the aim of promoting international comparability, statistics presented on ILOSTAT are based on standard international definitions wherever feasible and may differ from official national figures. This series is based on the 13th ICLS definitions. For time series comparability, it includes countries that have implemented the 19th ICLS standards, for which data are also available in the Work Statistics -- 19th ICLS (WORK) database. LU4 represents the share of the extended labour force that are in unemployment, time-related underemployment or the potential labour force. For more information, refer to the Labour Force Statistics (LFS and STLFS) database description.