Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Uganda
Uganda: Share of workers in vulnerable employment was 74.4% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Uganda, 1991–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Uganda recorded 74.4% for share of workers in vulnerable employment in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.2% on the previous year and down 2.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of workers in vulnerable employment in Uganda peaked at 82.2% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 74.4%, in 2025.
That places Uganda 24th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it 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 Uganda, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 82.2% | — |
| 1992 | 82.0% | -0.2% |
| 1993 | 81.8% | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 81.6% | -0.3% |
| 1995 | 81.3% | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 81.0% | -0.4% |
| 1997 | 80.7% | -0.4% |
| 1998 | 80.4% | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 80.2% | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 79.9% | -0.3% |
| 2001 | 79.7% | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 79.5% | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 79.3% | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 79.0% | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 78.8% | -0.3% |
| 2006 | 78.5% | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 78.2% | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 77.8% | -0.4% |
| 2009 | 77.6% | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 77.3% | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 77.0% | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 76.8% | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 76.5% | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 76.6% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 76.5% | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 76.5% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 76.5% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 76.2% | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 75.9% | -0.4% |
| 2020 | 75.8% | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 75.2% | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 75.0% | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 74.8% | -0.3% |
| 2024 | 74.6% | -0.3% |
| 2025 | 74.4% | -0.2% |
Uganda compared with similar countries
- Uganda's 74.4% is below the median for low income countries, which is 76.9%, 97% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Uganda's 74.4% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 67.6%, 1.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 81.3% | 80.2% | 82.2% | 9 |
| 2000s | 78.8% | 77.6% | 79.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 76.6% | 75.9% | 77.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 75.0% | 74.4% | 75.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Uganda
More work & labour data for Uganda
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.0339 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.0408 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.0266 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 1.02 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 3.77 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 46,664 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 59,035 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 60,822 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 60,013 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 120,835 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of workers in vulnerable employment in Uganda?
- Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Uganda was 74.4% 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 Uganda?
- The highest recorded value was 82.2% in 1991.
- What is the lowest share of workers in vulnerable employment recorded in Uganda?
- The lowest recorded value was 74.4% in 2025.
- How does Uganda rank for share of workers in vulnerable employment?
- Uganda ranks 24th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of workers in vulnerable employment rising or falling in Uganda?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Uganda 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
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
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).