LU4: Composite rate of labour underutilization in Africa

Africa: LU4: Composite rate of labour underutilization was 20.95 in 2027. ▲ Rising

Latest (2027)
20.95
Change on year
down 0.2%
Rank
17th
of 87 groups
All-time high
23.5
in 2020
All-time low
20.03
in 2008
Years of data
23
2005–2027

LU4: Composite rate of labour underutilization in Africa, 2005–2027

05101520252005201620272005: 20.42006: 202007: 202008: 202009: 20.32010: 20.72011: 21.12012: 21.32013: 21.12014: 21.32015: 21.72016: 21.82017: 222018: 21.92019: 21.92020: 23.52021: 22.72022: 21.62023: 20.92024: 212025: 212026: 212027: 20.9

Source: International Labour Organization.

Analysis

Africa recorded 20.95 for lu4: composite rate of labour underutilization in 2027.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.2% on the previous year and down 4.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, lu4: composite rate of labour underutilization in Africa peaked at 23.5 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 20.03, in 2008.

Africa ranks 17th 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 rate of labour underutilization in Africa, year by year

Annual values for LU4: Composite rate of labour underutilization (ILO modelled estimates) in Africa, 2005 to 2027.
Year Value Change
2005 20.37
2006 20.05 -1.6%
2007 20.04 -0.0%
2008 20.03 -0.1%
2009 20.32 +1.5%
2010 20.71 +1.9%
2011 21.14 +2.1%
2012 21.31 +0.8%
2013 21.1 -1.0%
2014 21.29 +0.9%
2015 21.65 +1.7%
2016 21.77 +0.5%
2017 21.96 +0.9%
2018 21.88 -0.4%
2019 21.85 -0.1%
2020 23.5 +7.6%
2021 22.72 -3.3%
2022 21.56 -5.1%
2023 20.88 -3.2%
2024 21.02 +0.7%
2025 21.04 +0.1%
2026 20.99 -0.3%
2027 20.95 -0.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 20.16 20.03 20.37 5
2010s 21.46 20.71 21.96 10
2020s 21.58 20.88 23.5 8

More work & labour data for Africa

All data for Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is lu4: composite rate of labour underutilization in Africa?
Lu4: composite rate of labour underutilization in Africa was 20.95 in 2027, according to International Labour Organization.
What is the highest lu4: composite rate of labour underutilization recorded in Africa?
The highest recorded value was 23.5 in 2020.
What is the lowest lu4: composite rate of labour underutilization recorded in Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 20.03 in 2008.
How does Africa rank for lu4: composite rate of labour underutilization?
Africa ranks 17th out of 87 groups with data for 2027.
Is lu4: composite rate of labour underutilization rising or falling in Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 4.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Africa data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of LU4: Composite rate of labour underutilization (ILO modelled estimates). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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LU4: Composite rate of labour underutilization in Africa. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization. Retrieved 08 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/lu4-composite-rate-of-labour-underutilization-ilo-modelled-estimates/africa/

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About this data

Indicator
LU4: Composite rate of labour underutilization (ILO modelled estimates)
Source
International Labour Organization
Licence
ILO Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
87 places, 2,001 data points, 2005–2027
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. 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 ILO Modelled Estimates (ILOEST) database description.