Potential labour force in Africa
Africa: Potential labour force was 45,828 in 2027. ▲ Rising
Potential labour force in Africa, 2004–2027
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
In 2027, potential labour force in Africa stood at 45,828. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.
The figure is up 2.6% on the previous year and up 29.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, potential labour force in Africa peaked at 45,828 in 2027 and was at its lowest, 25,749, in 2004.
Africa ranks 9th of 87 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Potential labour force in Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 25,749 | — |
| 2005 | 25,824 | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 25,765 | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 26,282 | +2.0% |
| 2008 | 26,563 | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 27,574 | +3.8% |
| 2010 | 28,880 | +4.7% |
| 2011 | 29,793 | +3.2% |
| 2012 | 30,552 | +2.5% |
| 2013 | 30,537 | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 31,756 | +4.0% |
| 2015 | 33,301 | +4.9% |
| 2016 | 34,679 | +4.1% |
| 2017 | 35,537 | +2.5% |
| 2018 | 36,859 | +3.7% |
| 2019 | 38,081 | +3.3% |
| 2020 | 43,246 | +13.6% |
| 2021 | 41,026 | -5.1% |
| 2022 | 41,297 | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 40,303 | -2.4% |
| 2024 | 42,088 | +4.4% |
| 2025 | 43,578 | +3.5% |
| 2026 | 44,684 | +2.5% |
| 2027 | 45,828 | +2.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 26,293 | 25,749 | 27,574 | 6 |
| 2010s | 32,998 | 28,880 | 38,081 | 10 |
| 2020s | 42,756 | 40,303 | 45,828 | 8 |
More work & labour data for Africa
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.3781 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 3.81 million 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 1.89 million 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 1.93 million 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 1.04 million 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 1.49 million 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 2.68 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.4458 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.3537 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.3661 % change on previous year (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is potential labour force in Africa?
- Potential labour force in Africa was 45,828 in 2027, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest potential labour force recorded in Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 45,828 in 2027.
- What is the lowest potential labour force recorded in Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 25,749 in 2004.
- How does Africa rank for potential labour force?
- Africa ranks 9th out of 87 groups with data for 2027.
- Is potential labour force rising or falling in Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 29.0%. 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 Potential labour force (ILO modelled estimates). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 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. The potential labour force refers to persons not in employment who express an interest in this form of work but for whom existing conditions limit their active job search and/or their availability. This group is used to calculate alternative measures of labour underutilization. For more information, refer to the ILO Modelled Estimates (ILOEST) database description.