Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Cameroon
Cameroon: Share of workers in vulnerable employment was 67.6% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Cameroon, 1991–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of workers in vulnerable employment in Cameroon is 67.6%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.4% on the previous year and down 8.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of workers in vulnerable employment in Cameroon peaked at 82.6% in 1995 and was at its lowest, 67.6%, in 2025.
Cameroon ranks 32nd of 186 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Cameroon, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 82.3% | — |
| 1992 | 82.4% | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 82.5% | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 82.6% | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 82.6% | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 82.5% | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 82.4% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 82.2% | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 81.9% | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 81.6% | -0.4% |
| 2001 | 81.4% | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 81.1% | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 80.7% | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 80.4% | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 80.0% | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 79.6% | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 79.3% | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 78.6% | -0.9% |
| 2009 | 77.9% | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 77.3% | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 76.7% | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 76.0% | -0.9% |
| 2013 | 75.3% | -0.9% |
| 2014 | 74.6% | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 73.6% | -1.3% |
| 2016 | 72.6% | -1.3% |
| 2017 | 71.7% | -1.3% |
| 2018 | 70.7% | -1.4% |
| 2019 | 69.7% | -1.3% |
| 2020 | 69.7% | -0.0% |
| 2021 | 68.5% | -1.8% |
| 2022 | 68.2% | -0.4% |
| 2023 | 68.0% | -0.2% |
| 2024 | 67.8% | -0.3% |
| 2025 | 67.6% | -0.4% |
Cameroon compared with similar countries
- Cameroon's 67.6% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 59.3%, 1.1× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Cameroon's 67.6% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 67.6%, 1.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 82.4% | 81.9% | 82.6% | 9 |
| 2000s | 80.1% | 77.9% | 81.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 73.8% | 69.7% | 77.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 68.3% | 67.6% | 69.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Cameroon
More work & labour data for Cameroon
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.5809 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.5736 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.588 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.1629 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 2.48 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 36,415 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 13,402 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 45,113 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 43,763 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 88,876 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of workers in vulnerable employment in Cameroon?
- Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Cameroon was 67.6% 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 Cameroon?
- The highest recorded value was 82.6% in 1995.
- What is the lowest share of workers in vulnerable employment recorded in Cameroon?
- The lowest recorded value was 67.6% in 2025.
- How does Cameroon rank for share of workers in vulnerable employment?
- Cameroon ranks 32nd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of workers in vulnerable employment rising or falling in Cameroon?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Cameroon 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.
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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).