Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Benin
Benin: Share of workers in vulnerable employment was 78.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Benin, 1991–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, share of workers in vulnerable employment in Benin stood at 78.5%. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.5% on the previous year and down 5.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of workers in vulnerable employment in Benin peaked at 86.3% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 78.5%, in 2025.
That places Benin 15th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Benin, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 86.3% | — |
| 1992 | 86.2% | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 86.1% | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 85.8% | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 85.8% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 85.6% | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 85.5% | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 85.4% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 85.3% | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 85.1% | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 84.9% | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 84.8% | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 84.6% | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 84.5% | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 84.4% | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 84.3% | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 84.2% | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 84.1% | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 84.0% | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 83.9% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 83.8% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 83.6% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 83.4% | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 83.2% | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 83.1% | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 82.8% | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 82.6% | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 82.3% | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 81.9% | -0.4% |
| 2020 | 82.2% | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 80.8% | -1.7% |
| 2022 | 79.5% | -1.5% |
| 2023 | 79.2% | -0.4% |
| 2024 | 78.9% | -0.4% |
| 2025 | 78.5% | -0.5% |
Benin compared with similar countries
- Benin's 78.5% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 59.3%, 1.3× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Benin's 78.5% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 67.6%, 1.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 85.8% | 85.3% | 86.3% | 9 |
| 2000s | 84.5% | 84.0% | 85.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 83.1% | 81.9% | 83.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 79.9% | 78.5% | 82.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Benin
More work & labour data for Benin
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.4203 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.395 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.4457 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.3247 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 2.72 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 15,661 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 8,269 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 19,967 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 19,620 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 39,588 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of workers in vulnerable employment in Benin?
- Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Benin was 78.5% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of workers in vulnerable employment recorded in Benin?
- The highest recorded value was 86.3% in 1991.
- What is the lowest share of workers in vulnerable employment recorded in Benin?
- The lowest recorded value was 78.5% in 2025.
- How does Benin rank for share of workers in vulnerable employment?
- Benin ranks 15th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of workers in vulnerable employment rising or falling in Benin?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Benin data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of workers in vulnerable employment. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Share of employed population who are working as independent own-account workers (self-employed without staff), or contributing family workers (self-employed in a household business or farm).