Self-employed, female (% of female employment) in Africa Eastern and Southern
Africa Eastern and Southern: Self-employed, female (% of female employment) was 80.1% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Self-employed, female (% of female employment) in Africa Eastern and Southern, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Africa Eastern and Southern recorded 80.1% for self-employed, female (% of female employment) in 2025.
The figure is down 0.2% on the previous year and up 0.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, self-employed, female (% of female employment) in Africa Eastern and Southern peaked at 82.9% in 1994 and was at its lowest, 79.6%, in 2018.
Africa Eastern and Southern ranks 11th of 47 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
Self-employed, female (% of female employment) in Africa Eastern and Southern, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 82.6% | — |
| 1992 | 82.7% | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 82.7% | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 82.9% | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 82.8% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 82.5% | -0.4% |
| 1997 | 82.2% | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 82.0% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 81.9% | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 81.9% | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 81.9% | -0.0% |
| 2002 | 81.8% | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 81.8% | -0.0% |
| 2004 | 81.7% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 81.9% | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 81.8% | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 81.5% | -0.3% |
| 2008 | 81.4% | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 81.4% | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 81.5% | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 81.4% | -0.2% |
| 2012 | 81.1% | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 80.8% | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 80.3% | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 80.0% | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 79.9% | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 79.8% | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 79.6% | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 79.7% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 80.5% | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 80.6% | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 80.4% | -0.3% |
| 2023 | 80.4% | -0.0% |
| 2024 | 80.2% | -0.2% |
| 2025 | 80.1% | -0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 82.5% | 81.9% | 82.9% | 9 |
| 2000s | 81.7% | 81.4% | 81.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 80.4% | 79.6% | 81.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 80.4% | 80.1% | 80.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Africa Eastern and Southern
- 8 Madagascar 90.6% compare
- 9 Burundi 90.6% compare
- 10 Tanzania, United Republic of 90.6% compare
- 11 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 90.5% compare
- 12 Congo 90.1% compare
- 13 Guinea 89.9% compare
- 14 Nigeria 89.5% compare
More work & labour data for Africa Eastern and Southern
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 48.9% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 86.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 74.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 68.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 52.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 65.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 63.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 70.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 75.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 50.7% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is self-employed, female (% of female employment) in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- Self-employed, female (% of female employment) in Africa Eastern and Southern was 80.1% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest self-employed, female (% of female employment) recorded in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- The highest recorded value was 82.9% in 1994.
- What is the lowest self-employed, female (% of female employment) recorded in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- The lowest recorded value was 79.6% in 2018.
- How does Africa Eastern and Southern rank for self-employed, female (% of female employment)?
- Africa Eastern and Southern ranks 11th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is self-employed, female (% of female employment) rising or falling in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Africa Eastern and Southern data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Self-employed, female (% of female employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Self-employed workers are those workers who, working on their own account or with one or a few partners or in cooperative, hold the type of jobs defined as a "self-employment jobs." i.e. jobs where the remuneration is directly dependent upon the profits derived from the goods and services produced. Self-employed workers include sub-categories of employers, own-account workers and members of producers' cooperatives and contributing family workers.