SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition) in Sub-Saharan Africa: Upper-middle income

Sub-Saharan Africa: Upper-middle income: SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition) was 30.63 in 2027. ▲ Rising

Latest (2027)
30.63
Change on year
up 0.3%
Rank
2nd
of 87 groups
All-time high
31.93
in 2021
All-time low
21.32
in 2007
Years of data
28
2000–2027

SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition) in Sub-Saharan Africa: Upper-middle income, 2000–2027

01020302000201320272000: 21.82001: 21.82002: 21.82003: 21.92004: 21.82005: 21.62006: 21.42007: 21.32008: 21.42009: 22.42010: 23.42011: 23.32012: 23.42013: 23.32014: 23.62015: 23.92016: 25.12017: 25.52018: 25.42019: 26.82020: 27.62021: 31.92022: 31.22023: 30.12024: 30.32025: 30.42026: 30.52027: 30.6

Source: International Labour Organization.

Analysis

The most recent figure for sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) in Sub-Saharan Africa: Upper-middle income is 30.63, measured in 2027.

That represents a change of up 0.3% on the previous year and up 20.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) in Sub-Saharan Africa: Upper-middle income peaked at 31.93 in 2021 and was at its lowest, 21.32, in 2007.

That places Sub-Saharan Africa: Upper-middle income 2nd out of 87 groups with data for 2027, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 28 years of available data.

SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition) in Sub-Saharan Africa: Upper-middle income, year by year

Annual values for SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) (15+) in Sub-Saharan Africa: Upper-middle income, 2000 to 2027.
Year Value Change
2000 21.84
2001 21.8 -0.2%
2002 21.77 -0.1%
2003 21.92 +0.7%
2004 21.75 -0.8%
2005 21.62 -0.6%
2006 21.4 -1.0%
2007 21.32 -0.4%
2008 21.39 +0.4%
2009 22.35 +4.5%
2010 23.4 +4.7%
2011 23.34 -0.2%
2012 23.41 +0.3%
2013 23.27 -0.6%
2014 23.58 +1.3%
2015 23.85 +1.2%
2016 25.08 +5.1%
2017 25.53 +1.8%
2018 25.42 -0.4%
2019 26.81 +5.5%
2020 27.59 +2.9%
2021 31.93 +15.7%
2022 31.18 -2.3%
2023 30.12 -3.4%
2024 30.31 +0.6%
2025 30.44 +0.4%
2026 30.53 +0.3%
2027 30.63 +0.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 21.72 21.32 22.35 10
2010s 24.37 23.27 26.81 10
2020s 30.34 27.59 31.93 8

Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa: Upper-middle income

  1. 1 South Africa 32.28 compare
  2. 2 Palestine, State of 28.71 compare
  3. 3 Botswana 24.43 compare
  4. 4 Guadeloupe 23.8 compare
  5. 5 French Guiana 23.2 compare

See the full ranking of 266 places →

More work & labour data for Sub-Saharan Africa: Upper-middle income

All data for Sub-Saharan Africa: Upper-middle income →

Frequently asked questions

What is sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) in Sub-Saharan Africa: Upper-middle income?
Sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) in Sub-Saharan Africa: Upper-middle income was 30.63 in 2027, according to International Labour Organization.
What is the highest sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa: Upper-middle income?
The highest recorded value was 31.93 in 2021.
What is the lowest sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa: Upper-middle income?
The lowest recorded value was 21.32 in 2007.
How does Sub-Saharan Africa: Upper-middle income rank for sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition)?
Sub-Saharan Africa: Upper-middle income ranks 2nd out of 87 groups with data for 2027.
Is sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa: Upper-middle income?
Over the last ten years it is up 20.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa: Upper-middle income data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) (15+). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition) in Sub-Saharan Africa: Upper-middle income. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization. Retrieved 07 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/sdg-indicator-8-5-2-unemployment-rate-previous-ilo-definition-icls13-15/sub-saharan-africa-upper-middle-income/

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About this data

Indicator
SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) (15+)
Source
International Labour Organization
Licence
ILO Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
266 places, 5,648 data points, 2000–2027
Last refreshed

Data may differ from nationally reported figures and the Global SDG Indicators Database due to differences in sources and/or reference years. The unemployment rate conveys the number of persons who are unemployed as a percent of the labour force (i.e., the employed plus the unemployed). The unemployed comprise all persons of working age who were: a) without work during the reference period, i.e. were not in paid employment or self-employment; b) currently available for work, i.e. were available for paid employment or self-employment during the reference period; and c) seeking work, i.e. had taken specific steps in a specified recent period to seek paid employment or self-employment. For more information, refer to the Labour Market-related SDG Indicators (ILOSDG) database description.