Potential labour force rate in Eastern Africa

Eastern Africa: Potential labour force rate was 5.52 in 2027. ▲ Rising

Latest (2027)
5.52
Change on year
down 0.1%
Rank
26th
of 87 groups
All-time high
6.17
in 2020
All-time low
4.73
in 2013
Years of data
24
2004–2027

Potential labour force rate in Eastern Africa, 2004–2027

02462004201520272004: 5.52005: 5.32006: 5.22007: 5.22008: 5.22009: 5.22010: 5.32011: 52012: 52013: 4.72014: 4.92015: 5.12016: 5.22017: 5.52018: 5.52019: 5.82020: 6.22021: 5.42022: 5.52023: 5.42024: 5.52025: 5.52026: 5.52027: 5.5

Source: International Labour Organization.

Analysis

Eastern Africa recorded 5.52 for potential labour force rate in 2027.

The figure is down 0.1% on the previous year and up 0.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, potential labour force rate in Eastern Africa peaked at 6.17 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 4.73, in 2013.

That places Eastern Africa 26th out of 87 groups with data for 2027, putting it in the middle of the range.

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

Potential labour force rate in Eastern Africa, year by year

Annual values for Potential labour force rate (ILO modelled estimates) in Eastern Africa, 2004 to 2027.
Year Value Change
2004 5.45
2005 5.31 -2.6%
2006 5.24 -1.3%
2007 5.19 -1.0%
2008 5.17 -0.4%
2009 5.22 +0.9%
2010 5.25 +0.7%
2011 5 -4.9%
2012 5.04 +1.0%
2013 4.73 -6.2%
2014 4.91 +3.8%
2015 5.06 +3.0%
2016 5.2 +2.8%
2017 5.47 +5.3%
2018 5.54 +1.3%
2019 5.76 +3.9%
2020 6.17 +7.1%
2021 5.36 -13.0%
2022 5.54 +3.3%
2023 5.39 -2.7%
2024 5.53 +2.7%
2025 5.53 -0.0%
2026 5.52 -0.2%
2027 5.52 -0.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 5.26 5.17 5.45 6
2010s 5.2 4.73 5.76 10
2020s 5.57 5.36 6.17 8

More work & labour data for Eastern Africa

All data for Eastern Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is potential labour force rate in Eastern Africa?
Potential labour force rate in Eastern Africa was 5.52 in 2027, according to International Labour Organization.
What is the highest potential labour force rate recorded in Eastern Africa?
The highest recorded value was 6.17 in 2020.
What is the lowest potential labour force rate recorded in Eastern Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 4.73 in 2013.
How does Eastern Africa rank for potential labour force rate?
Eastern Africa ranks 26th out of 87 groups with data for 2027.
Is potential labour force rate rising or falling in Eastern Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 0.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Eastern Africa data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Potential labour force rate (ILO modelled estimates). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Potential labour force rate in Eastern Africa. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization. Retrieved 24 August 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/potential-labour-force-rate-ilo-modelled-estimates/eastern-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Potential labour force rate (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. The potential labour force rate is the potential labour force as a percent of the extended labour force. 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. For more information, refer to the ILO Modelled Estimates (ILOEST) database description.