Proportion of informal employment, by sector and sex - 13th ICLS in Western Africa
Western Africa: Proportion of informal employment, by sector and sex - 13th ICLS was 91.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Proportion of informal employment, by sector and sex - 13th ICLS in Western Africa, 2004–2025
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
Western Africa recorded 91.2% for proportion of informal employment, by sector and sex - 13th icls in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 22 years on record.
The figure is down 0.5% on the previous year and down 3.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of informal employment, by sector and sex - 13th icls in Western Africa peaked at 97.6% in 2004 and was at its lowest, 91.2%, in 2025.
That places Western Africa 2nd out of 36 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 22 years of available data.
Proportion of informal employment, by sector and sex - 13th ICLS in Western Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 97.6% | — |
| 2005 | 97.6% | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 97.4% | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 97.4% | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 97.2% | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 96.8% | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 96.0% | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 95.4% | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 94.8% | -0.7% |
| 2013 | 94.8% | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 94.4% | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 94.1% | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 93.1% | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 92.8% | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 92.2% | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 91.8% | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 92.1% | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 92.7% | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 92.0% | -0.8% |
| 2023 | 91.9% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 91.7% | -0.2% |
| 2025 | 91.2% | -0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 97.3% | 96.8% | 97.6% | 6 |
| 2010s | 93.9% | 91.8% | 96.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 91.9% | 91.2% | 92.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Western Africa
- 1 Angola 95.3% compare
- 2 Uganda 94.5% compare
- 3 Mali 94.4% compare
- 4 Côte d'Ivoire 92.1% compare
- 4 Côte d'Ivoire 92.1% compare
More work & labour data for Western Africa
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 532,234 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.2192 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.1926 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.245 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.6577 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 2.78 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 293,084 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 516,634 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 1.07 million 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 537,547 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is proportion of informal employment, by sector and sex - 13th icls in Western Africa?
- Proportion of informal employment, by sector and sex - 13th icls in Western Africa was 91.2% in 2025, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest proportion of informal employment, by sector and sex - 13th icls recorded in Western Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 97.6% in 2004.
- What is the lowest proportion of informal employment, by sector and sex - 13th icls recorded in Western Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 91.2% in 2025.
- How does Western Africa rank for proportion of informal employment, by sector and sex - 13th icls?
- Western Africa ranks 2nd out of 36 groups with data for 2025.
- Is proportion of informal employment, by sector and sex - 13th icls rising or falling in Western Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Western Africa data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Proportion of informal employment, by sector and sex - 13th ICLS (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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