Male labor force participation rate in Cameroon
Cameroon: Male labor force participation rate was 73.9% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Male labor force participation rate in Cameroon, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for male labor force participation rate in Cameroon is 73.9%, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 0.3% on the previous year and down 3.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, male labor force participation rate in Cameroon peaked at 87.1% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 73.7%, in 2021.
That places Cameroon 56th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Male labor force participation rate in Cameroon, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 87.1% | — |
| 1991 | 87.1% | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 87.1% | -0.0% |
| 1993 | 87.0% | -0.0% |
| 1994 | 87.0% | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 86.9% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 86.7% | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 86.6% | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 86.4% | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 86.3% | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 86.2% | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 86.0% | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 85.9% | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 85.7% | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 85.6% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 85.6% | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 85.5% | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 85.4% | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 84.4% | -1.2% |
| 2009 | 83.3% | -1.3% |
| 2010 | 82.1% | -1.4% |
| 2011 | 81.0% | -1.4% |
| 2012 | 79.8% | -1.5% |
| 2013 | 78.6% | -1.5% |
| 2014 | 77.3% | -1.6% |
| 2015 | 76.8% | -0.7% |
| 2016 | 76.3% | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 75.9% | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 75.5% | -0.6% |
| 2019 | 75.0% | -0.6% |
| 2020 | 73.9% | -1.4% |
| 2021 | 73.7% | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 74.2% | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 74.2% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 74.1% | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 73.9% | -0.3% |
Cameroon compared with similar countries
- Cameroon's 73.9% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 70.3%, 1.1× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Cameroon's 73.9% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 70.1%, 1.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 86.8% | 86.3% | 87.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 85.4% | 83.3% | 86.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 77.8% | 75.0% | 82.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 74.0% | 73.7% | 74.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Cameroon
More work & labour data for Cameroon
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.5809 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.5736 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.588 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.1629 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 2.48 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 36,415 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 13,402 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 45,113 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 43,763 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 88,876 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is male labor force participation rate in Cameroon?
- Male labor force participation rate in Cameroon was 73.9% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest male labor force participation rate recorded in Cameroon?
- The highest recorded value was 87.1% in 1991.
- What is the lowest male labor force participation rate recorded in Cameroon?
- The lowest recorded value was 73.7% in 2021.
- How does Cameroon rank for male labor force participation rate?
- Cameroon ranks 56th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is male labor force participation rate rising or falling in Cameroon?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Cameroon data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Male labor force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the male working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).