SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate in Ghana

Ghana: SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate was 3.97 in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
3.97
Change on year
up 22.4%
World rank
44th
of 57 countries
All-time high
6.81
in 2015
All-time low
2.17
in 2013
Years of data
8
2010–2024

SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate in Ghana, 2010–2024

2345672010201720242010: 5.42013: 2.22015: 6.82017: 3.42021: 3.22022: 2.92023: 3.22024: 4

Source: International Labour Organization.

Analysis

In 2024, sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate in Ghana stood at 3.97.

The figure is up 22.4% on the previous year and up 82.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate in Ghana peaked at 6.81 in 2015 and was at its lowest, 2.17, in 2013.

Ghana ranks 44th of 57 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate in Ghana, year by year

Annual values for SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) in Ghana, 2010 to 2024.
Year Value Change
2010 5.38
2013 2.17 -59.6%
2015 6.81 +213.2%
2017 3.37 -50.5%
2021 3.19 -5.2%
2022 2.87 -10.2%
2023 3.25 +13.1%
2024 3.97 +22.4%

Ghana compared with similar countries

  • Ghana's 3.97 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 4.41, 90% of the median. (9 countries reporting)
  • Ghana's 3.97 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.52, 72% of the median. (10 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 4.43 2.17 6.81 4
2020s 3.32 2.87 3.97 4

Countries ranked near Ghana

  1. 41 Peru 4.32 compare
  2. 42 Sri Lanka 4.32 compare
  3. 43 United States 4.28 compare
  4. 45 Switzerland 3.89 compare
  5. 46 Netherlands 3.88 compare
  6. 47 Israel 3.37 compare

See the full ranking of 57 places →

More work & labour data for Ghana

All data for Ghana →

Frequently asked questions

What is sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate in Ghana?
Sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate in Ghana was 3.97 in 2024, according to International Labour Organization.
What is the highest sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate recorded in Ghana?
The highest recorded value was 6.81 in 2015.
What is the lowest sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate recorded in Ghana?
The lowest recorded value was 2.17 in 2013.
How does Ghana rank for sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate?
Ghana ranks 44th out of 57 countries with data for 2024.
Is sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate rising or falling in Ghana?
Over the last ten years it is up 82.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Ghana 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). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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CSV · JSON — 8 observations, free to reuse under ILO Terms of Use (attribution required).

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SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate in Ghana. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization. Retrieved 21 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/sdg-indicator-8-5-2-unemployment-rate-previous-ilo-definition-icls13/ghana/

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About this data

Indicator
SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13)
Source
International Labour Organization
Licence
ILO Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
57 places, 861 data points, 2004–2025
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. The term disability, as defined in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), is used as an umbrella term, covering impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions. For measurement purposes, a person with disability is defined as a person who is limited in the kind or amount of activities that he or she can do because of ongoing difficulties due to a long-term physical condition, mental condition or health problem. For more information, refer to the Labour Market-related SDG Indicators (ILOSDG) database description.