Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Share of workers in vulnerable employment was 84.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Ethiopia, 1991–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Ethiopia recorded 84.1% for share of workers in vulnerable employment in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
The figure is down 0.4% on the previous year and down 3.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of workers in vulnerable employment in Ethiopia peaked at 90.5% in 2005 and was at its lowest, 84.1%, in 2025.
Ethiopia ranks 4th of 186 countries on this measure, 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 Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 89.1% | — |
| 1992 | 89.4% | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 89.5% | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 89.6% | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 89.6% | -0.0% |
| 1996 | 89.5% | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 89.3% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 89.3% | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 89.3% | -0.0% |
| 2000 | 89.6% | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 89.7% | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 89.9% | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 90.2% | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 90.4% | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 90.5% | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 90.3% | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 89.9% | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 89.6% | -0.4% |
| 2009 | 89.2% | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 88.8% | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 88.4% | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 88.1% | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 87.7% | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 87.3% | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 86.8% | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 86.4% | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 86.0% | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 85.6% | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 85.2% | -0.4% |
| 2020 | 85.7% | +0.6% |
| 2021 | 85.3% | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 85.1% | -0.3% |
| 2023 | 84.8% | -0.3% |
| 2024 | 84.5% | -0.4% |
| 2025 | 84.1% | -0.4% |
Ethiopia compared with similar countries
- Ethiopia's 84.1% is above the median for low income countries, which is 76.9%, 1.1× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Ethiopia's 84.1% 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 | 89.4% | 89.1% | 89.6% | 9 |
| 2000s | 89.9% | 89.2% | 90.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 87.0% | 85.2% | 88.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 84.9% | 84.1% | 85.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
- 1 Chad 90.2% compare
- 2 Sierra Leone 86.0% compare
- 3 Madagascar 84.4% compare
- 5 Niger 83.7% compare
- 6 Mozambique 83.7% compare
- 7 Burundi 83.7% compare
More work & labour data for Ethiopia
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.4782 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.4959 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.4604 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.1765 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 2.96 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 74,537 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 116,333 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 183,282 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 184,008 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 367,290 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of workers in vulnerable employment in Ethiopia?
- Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Ethiopia was 84.1% 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 Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 90.5% in 2005.
- What is the lowest share of workers in vulnerable employment recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 84.1% in 2025.
- How does Ethiopia rank for share of workers in vulnerable employment?
- Ethiopia ranks 4th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of workers in vulnerable employment rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ethiopia 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).